INFANTILE PARALYSIS 

IN MASSACHUSETTS IN 1 909. 



/V3 



I. The Occurrence of Infantile Paralysis in Massachusetts in 1 909. 

Reported for the Massachusetts State Board of Health by Robert W. Lovett, M.D. 

II. Infantile Paralysis as Observed in Health District No. 15 during 1909. 

By Lyman A. Jones, M.D. 

III. Methods of Treatment in Infantile Paralysis. 

By E. H. Bradford, M.D., Robert W. Lovett, M.D., E. G. Brackett, M.D., Augustus 
Thorndike, M.D., Robert Soutter, M.D., Robert B. Osgood, M.D. 

IV. The Diagnosis of Infantile Paralysis in the Prodromal and Early Acute 

Stage, as Found in the Experimental Study of Acute Poliomyelitis 
in Monkeys. With Report of Findings in Four Human Cases. 

By William P. Lucas, M.D. 



Reprinted from the 

Monthly Bulletin of the Massachusetts State Board of Health 

for" June, 1910. 




BOSTON : 

WRIGHT & POTTER PRINTING CO., STATE PRINTERS, 

18 Post office Square. 







^ 



Approved by 
The State Board of Publication. 



NOV 18 *» 



i 



s 



The Occurence of 
Infantile Paralysis in Massachusetts in 1909.' 



Reported for the Massachusetts State Board of Health by Robert W. Lovett, M.D. 

Boston. 



The medical profession of to-day is confronted with the task of con- 
structing a new literature on the subject of infantile paralysis. What 
was written five years ago is to-day largely out of date, and the standard 
text-books cannot naturally present the latest point of view so rapid 
has been the recent progress of our knowledge in regard to this disease. 
The chief contributors to this rapid advance have been, first and fore- 
most, Mexner and Lewis in demonstrating the etiology, Wickman, of 
Sweden, in giving us a new symptomatology and defining types not 
before recognized, and Harbitz and Scheele, of Norway, in formulat- 
ing the pathology. 

The present paper will consist, first, of a condensed report of the 
recent progress of our knowledge with regard to the disease, and, secondly, 
of the data obtained with regard to the disease in this State in 1909 by 
the State Board of Health. 



I. REPORT OF PROGRESS. 
The most important step in our knowledge of the disease consists in 
the establishment during the past year of its infectious character by 
several observers. With the ability to produce the disease in monkeys 
by inoculation, there has been given the opportunity to study its etiology, 
symptoms and pathology, which opportunity did not exist before. 

i Portions of this report were read in abstract before a joint session of the American Orthopedic 
and Pediatric Societies in Washington on May 4, 1910, and before the Massachusetts Medical 
Society in Boston, June 8, 1910. Reprinted from the "Boston Medical and Surgical Journal," 
July 14, 1910. 



Experimental Production. 

Infantile paralysis has been recently shown to be an infectious disease, 
caused by a living organism so small that it can pass through the finest 
bacterial filter. It is invisible to the microscope and the ultramicroscope. 17 
This places the disease in a class with those caused by a filterable virus, 
similar diseases of this class being yellow fever, foot and mouth disease, 
pleuro-pheumonia of cattle, etc. It can be caused in monkeys by in- 
oculation with an emulsion of certain tissues from a human being dying 
of the disease, and from affected monkeys. 41 , 17 , 10 , 30 , 50 

The virus is contained in the brain and spinal cord, the mucous mem- 
brane of the nasopharynx, infected lymphatic glands, in the salivary 
glands, 10 and, in the acute stage, in the blood and cerebro-spinal fluid. 17 

The disease may be caused by inoculation by the following routes: 
intracerebral, subdural, intraneural and perineural, intraperitoneal, sub- 
cutaneous, by the circulation, and by implantation in the anterior 
chamber of the eye. 10 , 17 , 41 

By the digestive route it has been caused by introducing an emulsion 
into the stomach by means of a catheter and by introduction of the virus 
into intestines paralyzed by opium.* 1 

By the respiratory route the disease has been caused by rubbing the 
nasal mucous membrane after scarification 17 with a virulent suspension, 
by the same procedure without scarification, by inhalation of a virulent 
emulsion, and by implantation of infected tissue in the trachea. 41 

The fact that the disease may be caused by virus entering both 
respiratory and digestive tracts must be remembered when we come to 
inquire how the virus enters the human body. 

Inoculations into horses, calves, goats, pigs, sheep, rats, cats, mice, 30 
rabbits, 39 chickens, 4 2 guinea pigs 30 and dogs have proved negative except 
for the results of Krause and Meinicke, 24 who caused paralysis in rabbits 
by inoculation with virulent material, but their results are not generally 
accepted by other observers as they are in contradiction to practically 
all other experimental work and not sufficiently supported by patholog- 
ical evidence. 

The virulence of an emulsion is not impaired by drying for seven 
days, by freezing nor by suspension in glycerine, 10 , 17 , 30 but is injured 
by a temperature of 45° to 50° C. 17 The virus is not always affected 
by dilution, a solution of one to a thousand working as quickly and effec- 
tually as the full strength. 41 

The stage of incubation in monkeys is from six to upwards of thirty 
days, and the long incubation period in monkeys suggests the possi- 
bility that in the human being some of the late fall and early winter 



cases may have acquired their infection when the disease was prevalent 
in August and September. The ordinary incubation period in human 
beings is not known. It is generally stated as from one to fourteen days. 

Immunity. 

One attack of the disease apparently confers immunity to future 
attacks. 17 , 10 , 31 , 41 This is the accepted clinical history in human beings, 
and has been found to be the case in monkeys inoculated experimentally. 

Active immunization in monkeys has been secured by the repeated 
injection of small doses of virus, after which a full dose has had no 
effect. 17 

Passive serum protection has been obtained by mixing with an active 
dose of the virus an equal amount of the blood serum of a recovered 
monkey, which neutralizes the effect of the virus, and in the same way 
the blood serum of children who have recovered, when mixed with the 
virus in proper proportions, neutralizes its effect. 17 Attempts to secure 
a neutralizing serum from horses who have received repeated injections 
of virus have not been successful. Even if we had at hand a therapeutic 
serum for this disease, it must be evident that such a serum to be of 
use must be used early in the disease, and at present our diagnostic 
knowledge is not sufficient to enable us to use it before the destruction 
occurs in the cord. The diagnosis is now rarely made before the pa- 
ralysis occurs, and a better knowledge of the early symptoms and diagnos- 
tic signs of the disease is one of our most urgent needs, and indicates 
the line in which our investigation for the present year should progress. 

Diagnosis. 

In. the matter of clinical diagnosis, the last year has added a little 
to our knowledge, chiefly in the way of a better knowledge of early 
symptoms. The eight types of the disease as described by Wickman are 
riot, however, sufficiently known in the English language, and a trans- 
lation of his book would be of great value (Wickman: Beitrage zur 
Kenntniss der Heine Medinschen Krankheit, Berlin, 1907), although 
a short abstract has been made of it. 18 

Miiller, 88 investigating, at the request of the authorities, an epidemic 
in Westphalia in 1909, considered three symptoms of great importance 
in the early stages. These were (1) tendency to profuse sweating, (2) 
hyperesthesia and sensitiveness to movements, and (3) leucopenia. 
Respiratory and digestive symptoms were common in the earlier stages, 
and the incubation period was at least five days. 

Krause - z was commissioned by the government, in 1909, to investi- 
gate an epidemic, consisting of 436 cases, occurring in Germany in the 



neighborhood of Hagen. He found digestive symptoms present in 90 
per cent, of all cases at the onset, and occasionally respiratory symptoms. 
He calls especial attention to the importance of sweating and tenderness 
as early symptoms. 

The later laboratory findings suggest that certain characteristics of 
the blood and cerebro-spinal fluid in the stage preceding paraylsis may 
enable us to make an earlier and surer diagnosis, but these findings have 
not yet appeared in print. 

Increasing Frequency of Occurrence. 

It is generally believed that infantile paralysis is becoming more 
common and more widespread of late years, but one must bear in mind 
that there is a possibility that this is because the disease is better known 
and more frequently recognized. As this is a matter of importance, it 
seems proper to examine the evidence on this point. 

The recognition of outbreaks of infantile paralysis is of comparatively 
recent date. Bergenholz, a Swede, writing in 1881, is generally credited 
with having been the first to recognize and describe such an outbreak 
with sufficient accuracy to make it acceptable. Since that time out- 
breaks have been reported with increasing frequency. From the time 
of the first generally accepted outbreak until the close of 1909 is, 
roughly, thirty years. If this interval be subdivided into periods of 
five years, beginning with 1880-84 inclusive and ending with 1905-09 
inclusive, and if we set down in each period the number of outbreaks 
reported, we have the following table : — 





Period. 


Cases. 


Outbreaks. 


Average Number 
of Cases. 


1880-84, 


23 


2 


11.5 


1885-89, 


93 


7 


13.0 


1890-94, 


151 


4 


38.0 


1895-99, 


345 


23 


15.0 


1900-04, 


349 


9 


39.0 


1905-09, 


8,054 


25 


322.0 



Distribution of Outbreaks. 
The recent outbreaks have been widely distributed. From Norway and 
Sweden have been reported large and carefully studied epidemics, 
especially in the last ten years. Zappert, 40 in 1908 and 1909, collected 
266 cases in Vienna and lower Austria, and Ghon noted many cases in 
upper Austria (Styria and Carinthia). In Germany, in 1909, the 
disease was very prevalent. The Westphalia epidemic of 436 cases 2S 
has been spoken of above. In Rhenish Prussia there were said to have 
been about 100 cases, and around Marburg about 50. There were cases 



in the province of Hanover and about 50 cases in Silesia. Numerous 
small epidemics were reported. It is estimated that there must have been 
over 1,000 cases in Germany in 1909.47 i n Holland, 24 cases were re- 
ported from Leyden, and others between August and October in other 
parts of the country. 4 * 

England seems to have been comparatively immune, and only a small 
epidemic of 8 cases was reported from Spain. Although no large epidemic 
occurred in France, there was a consensus of opinion among the medical 
men quoted by Netter that an unusually large number of cases of in- 
fantile paralysis had been seen in 1909. 47 , 4£> 

The United States suffered severely. Minnesota 48 had several hundred 
cases; Nebraska, 36 619; Kansas, about 80; and Massachusetts, nearly 
1,000. 

The report si of the New York epidemic of 1907 has just become 
available for study. The fact that this epidemic of 2,500 cases was the 
largest ever reported, the painstaking character of the work done and the 
scientific standing of the committee in charge of the investigation make 
the report of the greatest importance and value. It is impossible in this 
place to abstract so condensed and exhaustive a work. 

A most interesting and important epidemic of 140 cases has been re- 
ported as occurring in 1909 in the Province of Santa Clara, in Cubans 
Previous epidemics have been reported from the temperate zones of the 
north and south hemispheres, chiefly in the northern parts of the 
former. The Cuban epidemic, as the first reported from the tropics, 
possesses peculiar interest as to season, distribution, etc. Apparently 
the disease did not exist in Cuba prior to 1907. In 1907 and 1908 one 
or two suspicious or authenticated cases appeared in the neighborhood 
cf Havana, the disease becoming epidemic in the Province of Santa 
Clara in 1909. A survey of the field makes it seem very probable that the 
disease was imported from New York as a result of the 1907 epidemic 
there, and that certain unknown determining conditions made the 
Province of Santa Clara susceptible to a severe outbreak. As in the 
temperate zones, the disease occurred during the summer, reaching its 
maximum in July and August. The chief incidence was between the ages 
of one and three ; males were predominantly affected ; and the black race 
was evidently much less affected than the white, in 72 cases the pro- 
portion being: whites, 60; mixed race, 4; negroes, 8. The mortality rate 
was 7.89 per cent. 

The time has gone by when the routine reports of epidemics is of any 
especial value, nor is the exact tabulation of numbers of epidemics of any 
particular use except as throwing light on the general distribution of the 
disease, and possibly in this way defining some of its characteristics. 



8 

The disease is manifestly prevalent, and it is widespread and increas- 
ing. Useful work in the future will consist in the exact and careful 
house-to-house study of epidemics, both large and small. 

Of the 8,054 cases reported in the last five years (number, of course, 
only approximately correct), the United States contributed 5,514 cases, 
or about five-sevenths of the total number of cases. The bulk of these 
cases has, moreover, been reported from the northern States, the out- 
breaks in the southern States being insignificant. In the same way in 
Europe, Xorway and Sweden contributed about 1,500 cases and Germany 
practically the rest, except for an outbreak in Australia, which occurred 
in March, which is their early fall. 

As the literature has been very carefully gone over, and as, in the 
present state of interest in the subject, it seems fair to assume that large 
outbreaks in any civilized country have been reported, it would seem that 
the following conclusions were justified : — 

1. That outbreaks of infantile paralysis have very greatly increased 
in several parts of the world in the last five years in a measure not to 
be explained in any way by the increased interest in the disease. 

2. That it is more prevalent in cold than in warm countries. 

3. That from the northern part of the United States have been re- 
ported more cases than from any part of the world. 

The study of these 70 outbreaks, reaching over a period of thirty 
years, has led, of course, to the knowledge of certain facts with regard 
to the disease, but they have not given us the essential facts as to how 
the disease enters the body nor how to prevent or check its spread. 

PiELATIOX TO IXFLUEXZA. 

A recent book 52 deals with the theory that the disease is merely a 
form of influenza, a contention already discussed prior to 1905 and 
antagonized by "Wickman. The book in question deals with a study of 
303 cases occurring in Sweden, each case being considered by itself. The 
point of view of the author is shown in the following quotation : " I 
must, therefore, regard this (the intermittent type of influenza) as a 
very certain proof for my view, acquired on other grounds, that acute 
infantile paralysis is a nervous form of influenza." Recent progress in 
the epidemiology of infantile paralysis makes this view seem improbable. 

Traxsmissibility. 
In the writings of the last year there is no dissent from the opinion 
that the disease is communicable. Direct transmission is apparently 
frequent, transmission by means of a healthy carrier is more than prob- 



able, and infection occasionally appears to remain in a house where the 
disease had previously occurred. 

On the other hand, the disease is evidently not very " contagious " 
in the ordinary acceptance of the term. In the epidemic in the Deer- 
field valley, in Massachusetts, in 1908, so carefully studied by Emerson,2 
there were 67 cases. There were 166 other children in the families of 
those affected, and 86 other children known to be in intimate contact 
with the 67. Of the 252, 4 later developed the disease. 

Hill, 48 of the State Board of Health of Minnesota, has contributed a 
careful study of the transmissibility of the disease, written in a spirit 
of scientific skepticism. Of 161 cases reported as anterior poliomyelitis, 
he accepted only 85 as surely valid, and analyzed 81 of these, occurring 
in 69 families. Sixty-nine of these cases were primary and 12 occurred 
secondarily in the same families. The secondary cases thus were 17 
per cent, of the primary. Contrasting this with the records of other in- 
fectious diseases in the same State, the percentage of secondary cases 
lo primary was as follows : — 

Per Cent. 

Scarlet fever, 40 

Typhoid fever, about 30 

Diphtheria, 29 

Anterior poliomyelitis, . . 17 

Of persons known to have been exposed to diphtheria, scarlet fever 
and anterior poliomyelitis, the percentage contracting the disease was as 
follows : — 

Per Cent. 

Scarlet fever, 22 

Diphtheria, 17 

Anterior poliomyelitis, 6 

The disease is thus apparently less readily transmissible than the 
diseases mentioned in persons exposed, but such figures cannot be con- 
sidered representative until the abortive cases are included. 

The study of the epidemiology of a disease falls into two parts, — 
the study in the laboratory and the study in the field. The most notable 
contribution as yet to our knowledge of this disease is from the labora- 
tory, where Flexner and Lewis have established its infectious nature. 
This fact has narrowed the field of our inquiry and enables us to pursue 
a more definite and promising scheme, but one should remember that 
work in the field, comparatively fruitless as it has so far been, holds its 
place. We knew for many years the organism of malaria and the path- 
ological changes occurring in the disease, but we could not control malaria 



10 

until we found that it entered the body through the agency of the 
mosquito. So it is quite possible to us to know much of the bacteriology 
and pathology of a disease from the laboratory without being able to con- 
trol or suppress it, and such knowledge must be supplemented by field 
work; that is, a study of external conditions to round out our investiga- 
tion and to make it as effective as we should wish. 

II. INFANTILE PARALYSIS IN MASSACHUSETTS IN 1909. 

In the year 1909, Massachusetts suffered as much from the disease as 
any country in Europe; as many cases were reported here as in the two 
other most severely affected States in the Union — Nebraska and Minne- 
sota — taken together. 

In Massachusetts, in 1907, we had begun the investigation of the 
disease by sending out inquiry blanks to be filled in by the general prac- 
titioner. That resulted in a loose collection of 234 cases, the results 
of which were published. 1 In 1908, half of our 136 cases occurring in the 
State were located in Franklin County, and these 67 cases were thoroughly 
studied by Emerson, who lived in the district a month for the purpose. 
These studies were published. 2 

In 1909 it was decided to take up the matter more seriously. A 
special agent, Mr. Sheppard, a fourth-year student at the Harvard Medi- 
cal School, was detailed as a special investigator, and in February, 1910, 
another special investigator was added to the staff in the person of 
Dr. Hennelly, a recent graduate of the Harvard Medical School and of 
the Boston City Hospital. It was thought desirable to have expert ad- 
vice in conducting the inquiry, and three gentlemen were requested to 
act as an advisory committee to the Board. These were Dr. Theobald 
Smith, professor of comparative pathology; Dr. M. J. Eosenau, pro- 
fessor of preventive medicine and h}'giene, and Dr. J. H. "Wright, patholo- 
gist to the Massachusetts General Hospital and assistant professor of 
pathology, all of the Harvard Medical School. The secretary of the 
Board, Dr. Mark W. Richardson, has given freely of his time and effort 
in conducting the details of the inquiry. This advisory committee has 
met the members of the Board who are concerned in the inquiry at fre- 
quent conferences, studied the reports submitted and advised as to the 
most promising lines of investigation. 

The two investigators have conducted a house-to-house investigation 
and have filled out their own blanks ; they have been instructed to work 
in all cases through the family physician; they have obtained from the 
family a careful history of the attack and they have examined the affected 
children. It has not been possible under these conditions to make rapid 
progress, and at this time only 150 cases have been thus carefully studied. 



It seemed to us better to confine the investigation to certain localities, 
making it exhaustive in certain affected districts in the neighborhood of 
Boston, rather than to take up a scattered investigation throughout the 
State. Up to this time the expense of the inquiry had been borne by the 
Board out of its regular appropriation, but in January, 1910, the Board 
asked the Legislature for a special appropriation of $5,000 to enable the 
Board to make a proper and adequate inquiry into this disease as it 
occurred in the State in 1910. This sum of money was voted without 
question or opposition. It is our purpose to have on hand a sufficient 
number of investigators during the coming summer to be able to look 
into the surroundings of every case within forty-eight hours of the 
time when the case is reported. 

In presenting for the Board some of the results obtained in 1909, it 
is only proper to say that in the present state of our knowledge no one 
can say which data are relevant and important and which are not. It 
is possible that certain facts which now seem of no importance may be of 
assistance to some future investigator. So far as practicable, our data 
are presented in graphic form. There are three classes of cases dealt 
with in this report: (a) the total number reported (923) ; (&) the num- 
ber in which blanks were filled out (628) ; (c) the number thoroughly 
studied (150). All three classes are utilized in different tables, some 
being available for one purpose and some for another. 

Distribution in the State. 
A consideration of the distribution of the disease in the State of Massa- 
chusetts for the past three years shows that in all three years the disease 
occurred in scattered foci in all parts of the State, but was more fre- 
quent in the river valleys than away from rivers; that a case rarely 
occurred in a town without one or more cases in contiguous towns, and 
that localities severely affected one year were lightly affected the next; 
e.g., the outbreak in the upper Connecticut valley in 1908 was followed 
by very few cases in 1909 in that region. In the next year but one, how- 
ever, localities markedly affected may again show many cases; e.g., in 
1907 the extreme western end of the State showed many cases, in 1908 
almost none, and in 1909 again many cases. The metropolitan district 
shows, of course, a large number of cases, and it will be noted that in 
general there were more cases of the disease in the towns north of Bos- 
ton than in towns south of it. 



12 



Distribution in Boston. 
Analyzing the relative prevalence of the disease in the different parts 
of Boston, the distribution of the cases shows nothing. The incidence 
was greatest in Dorchester, which is on the shore and not altogether 
thickly settled; next, in Charlestown, on the shore and densely popu- 
lated; next, in the city proper, densely settled; and so on, districts on 
the shore and inland alternating, and density of population having 
apparently no influence. 





Population, 


Number 


Incidence 




1905. 


of Cases. 


per Thousand. 


Dorchester, 


93,771 


76 


.81 


Charlestown, 


39,983 


24 


.60 


Boston, city proper, 

Roxbury, West Roxbury and Jamaica Plain, 


159,512 


86 


.54 


161,097 


67 


.42 


Brighton, 


21,806 


9 


.41 


East Boston 


51,334 


20 


.39 


South Boston, 


67,877 


17 


.25 




595,380 


299 


.50 



Eelative Distribution in Cities and Towns. 
There are 354 cities and towns in Massachusetts, in 136 of which 
there occurred cases of infantile paralysis in 1909. These 136 cities 
and towns were listed according to the prevalence of the disease in each 
per 1,000 of the inhabitants. The incidence ran from 526 per 100,000 
inhabitants to 15 in 100,000. Taking the first 25, where the incidence 
per 1,000 was highest, the average population was 3,295, and only 4 
towns were over 7,000. Taking the last 25 on the list, where the in- 
cidence per 1,000 was least, the average population was 34,860, and no 
city or town was under 7,000 in population. Therefore, in 1909 the 
disease was relatively much more prevalent in small towns than in the 
cities and larger towns. 




r:m 






1907 

STATE BOARD OF HEALTH 

MAP OF THE 

STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 

Showing 

The Distribution of Infantile Paralysis in 1907 




• 1908 • 
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH 

MAP OF THE 

STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 

Showing 

The Distribution of Infantile Paralysis in 1908 




STATE BOARD OF HEALTH 
MAP OF THE 

STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. 

The Distribution of Infantile Paralysis in 1909 



•» 



r^> 



13 



List of 25 Cities and Towns where the Disease was most prevalent. 



Town. 



Population. 



Cases. 



Incidence 
per Thousand. 



Plainfield, 


382 


2 


5.26 


Millis, . 














1,089 


4 


3.66 


Leverett, 














703 


2 


2.83 


Great Barrington, 














6,388 


18 


2.81 


Lenox, 














3,058 


8 


2.61 


Aver, 
Walpole, 














2,386 


6 


2.51 














4,000 


8 


2.00 


Hull, 














2,060 


4 


1.94 


Natick. . 














9,705 


18 


1.85 


Eastern, . 














1,089 


2 


1.83 


Savoy, 














549 


1 


1.81 


Winthrop, 














7,814 


13 


1.70 


Richmond, 














601 


1 


1.66 


Athol, 














7,305 


12 


1.64 


Merrimac, 














1,884 


3 


1.59 


Scituate, . 














2,597 


4 


1.54 


Sharon, . 














2,085 


3 


1.44 


Egremont, 














721 


1 


1.38 


Cummington, . 














740 


1 


1.35 


Groveland, 














2,401 


3 


1.25 


Salisbury, 














1,622 


2 


1.23 


Foxborough, . 














3,364 


4 


1.18 


Adams, . 














13,685 


16 


1.17 


Belmont, 














4,360 


5 


1.15 


Marshfield 




1,763 


2 


1.12 



List of 25 Cities and Towns where the Disease was least prevalent. 



Towx. 


Population. 


Cases. 


Incidence 
per Thousand. 


Gardner, 


13,066 


2 


.15 


New Bedford, 














85,516 


13 


.15 


Mavnard, 














7,147 


1 


.14 


Spencer, . 














7,121 


1 


.14 


Lynn, 














84,623 


11 


.13 


Marblehead, . 














7,209 


1 


.13 


Saugus, . . ' 














7,189 


1 


.13 


Montague, 














7,707 


1 


.13 


Braintree, 














7,595 


1 


.13 


Brockton, 














55,039 


7 


.12 


Lawrence, 














7,050 


8 


.11 


Ware, 














8.858 


1 


.11 


West Springfield, 














8,897 


1 


.11 


Methuen, 














9,608 


1 


.10 


Fall River, 














106,486 


10 


.09 


Chelsea, . 














40,080 


4 


.09 


Framingham, . 














11,749 


1 


.08 


Milford, . 














12,722 


1 


.08 


Taunton, 














30,967 


2 


.064 


Beverly, . 














13,386 


1 


.061 


Fitchburg, 














34,263 


2 


.058 


Salem, . 














39,019 


2 


.051 


Lowell, . 














94,889 


5 


.05 


Northampton, 














21,075 


1 


.04 


Springfield, 






84,237 


1 


.012 



14 



General Conditions. 
Aside from the immediate environment of the patients, there are 
certain general considerations of possible interest. 



Rainfall by Years. 
The last six years have been very dry. In 1907 there was practically 
a normal rainfall, and 234 cases in the State. In 1908, a very dry 
year with 7 inches deficiency of rainfall, there were few cases — 136. 
In 1909, with more rain (3 inches deficiency), there were 923 cases. 
In Massachusetts the prevalence of the disease by the year has not, 
therefore, been coincident with deficiency of rainfall. 

Deficiency Rainfall, 1904-1909, inclusive. 



Tear. 



Cases in State, i Actual. 



Xormal. 



Deficiency, 



1904, 




43.81 


45.16 —1.35 


1905 


- 


37.60 


—7.56 


1906, 


- 


43.21 


- 


—1.95 


1907 


234 


44 49 


- 


—0.67 


1908 


136 


37.61 


- 


—7.55 


1909, 


923 


42.10 


" 


—3.06 




—22.14 



Rainfall by Months in 1909. 
The chart of the rainfall in 1909 in the State, arranged by months, 
does not correspond with the prevalence of the disease in the State, 
arranged also by months, the driest month preceding the month of 
greatest frequency of the disease in the same way that the driest year 
preceded the year when the disease was most prevalent. 

Temperature by Months in 1909. 
The curve of the average monthly temperature in Massachusetts in 
1909 does not correspond with the curve of the frequency of the disease, 
the highest average temperature falling away before the highest inci- 
dence of the disease occurs. 



Numbeb of Families affected and Possible Abortive Cases. 

To make the following analyses clearer, the following table is im- 
portant as showing that the 150 cases carefully studied occurred in 142 
families, and also showing the probable existence of a fairly large num- 
ber of abortive cases associated with them. 



RAINF 



«-6- 



LJ 

u 



< lj : 



as 
n- 
ld 
L2 
li- 
fe 



39 



be 



I \ % 

-0- 



7 

4 

4 

17 

22 

13 

37 

.. a \ ~ i- * 6 

50 



INCIDENCE OF CA5E5(n)AND 
RAINFALL(n)BY MONTHS 



(/) 



■6- 



■-4- 



r in \ 
U 



-180- 
-150- 

— I -I20fi 



i 



L 



^-o- ^-i i i-H i i i i i i i 



■90* 

O 



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-) u. 2 < 2 



_i O o_ I- > u 



60 

-30 

0- 



"5 -) < tn 



8° 



z o 



ce] 



a 
yes 

In 
In 

th« 



190< 
190; 
1901 
190' 
190f 
1905 



ao< 
an 
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19* 

dei 



po] 
far 
bei 



lilies. 
i was 
fam- 
and 
ie 12 
s ffl- 
ssible 



479 



199 



150 
49 



i the 

ount 
;hese 
bulk 



7 
4 
4 
17 
22 
13 
37 
46 

150 



INCIDENCE OF CASES(^)AND 
MEAN TEMPERATURE (jfl) 
BY MONTHS r-i 



180- 




r<oo:fl:>-zjOQ.H>u 



cei 



a 

yes 

In 

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190J 

1901 
190' 
190! 
1905 



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15 

The 150 cases of paralysis carefully studied occurred in 142 families. 
The total number of children under fifteen in these 142 families was 
479. The total number of children sick from any cause in these fam- 
ilies contemporaneously with the occurrence of paralysis was 187, and 
12 adults. Of the 187 sick children, 149 were paralyzed; of the 12 
adults, 1 was paralyzed. This leaves 49 cases of contemporaneous ill- 
ness, not followed by paralysis, which are to be reckoned as possible 
abortive cases of the disease. 

Analysis of Cases thoroughly studied. 

[150 cases of paralysis in 142 families.] 

Total number of children, 479 

Xuniber of children sick, 187 

Number of adults sick, 12 

199 

Xumber of children paralyzed, 149 

Xumber of adults paralyzed, 1 

150 

Possible abortive cases, 49 

SURROUXDIXGS OF PATIENTS. 

The following tables 'relate to the environment of the patients in the 
150 cases carefully studied, and are largely self-explanatory. 

The nearness of the house to the railroad was investigated on account 
of the data of certain Swedish observers, showing its frequency in these 
localities. Even in a district where railroads were frequent, the bulk 
of the cases were well removed from the tracks. 

Nearness of House to Railroad. 

Cases. 

On, 7 

Within 20 yards, 4 

Within 40 yards, ........... 4 

Within 100 yards, 17 

Within 200 yards, 22 

Within 300 yards, 13 

Within 500 yards, 37 

Over 500 yards, 46 

150 



16 



Nearness to Water (Stream, Pond or Beach). 

Houses. 

Within 50 yards, 6 

Within 100 yards, 27 

Within 200 yards, 21 

Within 300 yards, 8 

Within 400 yards, 10 

Within 500 yards, 7 

Within 600 yards, 5 

Within 700 yards, 1 

Within 800 yards, 9 

Over 800 yards, . 56 

Cases, 150 

Analyzing the age of infected houses, it is evident from the following 
table that most of the 150 cases occurred in old houses. Yet the ma- 
jority of houses in a city are old. But in Dorchester, where many cases 
were investigated, building is active and many of the houses are new. 
It seemed as if the average age of infected houses was probably higher 
than that of the houses of those districts taken as a whole. 

• 
Age of House. 

Houses. 

1 year old, 2 

1a2 years old, 1 

3 years old, 5 

4 years old, 3 

5 years old, 4 

10 years old, 28 

15 years old, 24 

20 years old, 17 

30 years old, 22 

30+ years old, 44 

150 

Sanitary Conditions. 

Cases. 

Excellent, 36 

Good, 50 

Fair, 37 

Bad, 19 

Not stated, 8 



150 



17 

Location of House. 

Cases. 

High, 43 

Medium, 65 

Low, 42 

150 
Cases. 

Dry, 105 

Damp, 45 

150 
Character of House. 

Cases. 

Detached house, . 64 

Tenement house, 86 

150 
Floor of House inhabited by Family. 

The whole house, 55 

The first floor (3 of which also occupied basement), . . . .43 

The second floor, 36 

The third floor, .20 

Character of Sewage Disposal. 

Cases. 

Sewer, metropolitan, 109 

Sewer, city, 19 

Cesspool, 13 

Vault, 8 

Privy, 1 

150 
Character of Water Supply. 

Cases. 

Metropolitan, • . . . . 109 

Town, 17 

City, 22 

Well, 2 



150 



The amount of dust as described by the families may be taken at 
its face value, the majority of cases reporting from a moderate amount 
upward. 



18 

Relation to Dust. 

Cases. 

No dust, 

Very little dust, 29 

Moderate amount of dust, 83 

Much dust, 37 

Excessive amount of dust, 1 

150 

Prevalence of Vermin, Insects and Rodents. 

Inasmuch as the disease in many respects suggests that it is insect- 
borne, the following table was compiled from the account of the family 
aided by the observation of the investigators. It may be added that the 
investigators were fully aware of the importance of obtaining accurate 
answers to this question. 

Among 142 families, 134 had vermin, etc., as follows : — 

Houses. 

Flies were present in 113 

Mosquitoes were present in 75 

Mice (house) were present in ■ . .63 

Rats were present in 54 

Ants, red and black, were present in 35 

Roaches were present in 35 

Bedbugs were present in 31 

Spiders were present in 28 

Mice (field) were present in 20 

Squirrels were present in 6 

Biting flies were present in 3 

Grubs and caterpillars were present in 3 

Fleas were present in 2 

Brown-tail moths were present in 1 

Moles were present in 1 

Paralysis in Domestic Animals. 
The occurrence of paralysis among domestic animals and fowls has 
been found to coincide with outbreaks of the disease in the human beings 
in some instances reported. Inquiries were, therefore, addressed to every 
veterinary surgeon and every animal inspector in Massachusetts as to 
the occurrence of such paralysis in animals in 1909. The reported cases 
were then carefully laid off on a map of the State and the relative dis- 
tribution of the animal cases compared with that of the human cases. 
No correspondence was found to exist, so that, so far as these data can 
be depended on, no obvious connection on the whole existed between the 
two classes of cases in Massachusetts in 1909. 



19 

The health of the domestic animals in the 142 families is shown in 
the table. In 34 out of 87 families having domestic animals, sickness, 
paralvsis or death occurred in these animals about the time of the paraly- 
sis in human beings. 

The relation of this disease to paralysis in domestic animals is, how- 
ever, a matter requiring much more extensive investigation and is at 
present wholly unknown. 

Data as to Domestic Animals. 

Families. 

No animal of any kind in 55 

Animals in 87 



142 



(a) 22 homes had 28 dogs without sickness. 
53 homes had 73 cats without sickness. 
11 homes had 760 hens without sickness. 

9 homes had 17 birds without sickness. 
7 homes had 11 horses without sickness. 
1 home had 20 cows without sickness. 
1 home had 3 pigs without sickness. 
1 home had 1 lamb without sickness. 

(b) 3 homes had 3 dogs with sickness. 
10 homes had 10 cats with sickness. 

4 homes had 6 hens with sickness. 
1 home had 1 bird with sickness. 

(c) 2 homes had 2 cats with paralysis. 

3 homes had 4 hens with paralysis. 
1 home had 1 dog with paralysis. 

(d) 4 homes had deaths in 5 cats. 

4 homes had deaths in 4 hens. 
1 home had deaths in 2 rats. 
1 home had death in 1 dog. 

18 homes had illness in 20 animals. 

6 homes had paralysis in 7 animals. 
10 homes had deaths in 12 animals. 

Total, 34 homes had illness, paralysis or deaths in 39 animals. 1 

i The following letter, which reached the Board through the State Board of Health of Minnesota, 
is of possible interest in this connection : — 

" In my veterinary practice during the past five or six years I have found a disease appearing 
among one and two year old colts that shows a line of symptoms corresponding very closely to 
anterior poliomyelitis of children. I have had from 5 to 10 cases a year during this time, the cases 
always occurring during the summer months, and the majority of them during the month of Au- 
gust. The affected colts are usually found in the pasture, unable to stand. The owner sometimes 
will notice an unsteady gait for twenty-four hours before entire loss of motion occurs. At first 
these colts have a rise of temperature ranging from 103° to 104° F.; pulse and respiration accel- 



20 



Eelatiox to Eabies. 
The relation of the disease to rabies was investigated, and in 3 of the 
towns carefully studied epidemics had occurred in the past, but no out- 
break of rabies in 1909 had any relation to these 150 cases of paralysis, 
and no one of the 150 paralyzed children had in the past received the 
Pasteur treatment. 

COMMUNICABILITY. 

With regard to evidences of communicability in our series of cases, 
it seems proper that in so important a matter our conclusions should 
only be presented after a very careful study of all the facts. 

We have had instances of direct contagion from child to child, with 
an incubation period of one to fourteen days. We have had a number 
of instances of what appeared to be indirect contagion by a healthy car- 
rier, and finally we have had 11 instances in the 150 cases where the dis- 
ease followed intimate contact with persons with old infantile paralysis, 
often of many years' standing. The latter cases seemed to be unworthy 
of mention in a serious report, but after consultation with our advisory 
board it seemed worth while to allude to the matter for what it is worth ; 
e.g., a child of two and one-half was not, so far as known, in direct or 
indirect contact with any acute case, but was, previous to his attack, 
daily fondled and cared for by a girl of fourteen, paralyzed twelve years 
previously. On Aug. 14, 1909, he developed the disease. The Board 
would not wish to be understood as advocating the view that chronic 
cases were sources of infection, but the frequency of such histories make 
it proper to mention the matter as one worthy of following up, although 
the general history of other diseases caused by a filterable virus would 
make it seem unlikely. 

Instances of what would appear to have been contagion occurred in 
35 out of 150 cases. They may be analyzed as follows : — 

erated; animal sweats profusely; appetite remains fairly good, but there is some trouble noticed 
in swallowing, especially water; slight derangement of the bowels, tending toward constipation; 
more or less tympanitis present; retention of urine, — for a few hours at least; head drawn back 
so the end of the nose tends to assume a position somewhat on a line with the neck. The death 
loss is less than 10 per cent, but in those that do not recover the market value is depreciated to a 
very great extent because of the faulty gait the animal assumes after an attack of this disease, 
due to atrophy and contraction of certain muscles, or certain groups of muscles. It seems that 
the flexor muscles of the limbs especially are more often affected than the extensor, and in almost 
all the cases some of these deformities are likely to remain permanent. The flexors of the limbs 
are liable to contract and cause volar flexion of the fetlock. The elevators of the head are also 
likely to become affected, so as to cause the head to have a poky appearance; that is, it is carried 
out from the body. 

"After one of these attacks the colt will remain down from one to three weeks, and will then 
continue to improve for a period of one year, but seldom, if ever, makes a complete recovery. 

Dr. C. S. Shore. 

Lake City, Minnesota." 



21 



Instances of Contagiousness. 



Certain direct contact with acute ease, 

Certain direct contact with abortive case, . 

Certain direct contact with chronic case, . 

Certain direct contact with both acute and chronic cases, 

Certain indirect contact with acute case by third person, 



Cases. 

14 
1 

14 
2 
4 

35 



The contact was so intimate between the cases, and so constant, that 
there is no certain means of determining the day of the illness on which 
the sick child gave the disease to the other, or, in other words, the period 
of incubation in the recipient. 

Families with more than One Case. 

Cases. 

134 families with 1 

7 families with 2 

1 family with 3 

142 

Cases among the Acquaintances of Patient. 

(a) In 22 instances there occurred 1 other acute case, either shortly 
before or after. 

(b) In 2 instances there were 2 acute cases each among acquaintances. 

(c) In 2 instances, 4 acute cases each. 

(d) And in 1 instance there were 6 acute cases. 

(e) In 13 instances there was 1 chronic case each among the acquaint- 
ances of patient. 

It is not demonstrated that contact necessarily took place between 
these individuals. 

As bearing on the question of contagion, the places to which visits 
were made within a month before the attack was investigated. 



Places visited by Patient before Attack, 
(a) Xo history of visits known, 42; (b) Eevere Beach, 38; (c) City 
Point, 18; (d) Savin Hill Beach (Dorchester), 15; (e) Boston, 12; 
(/) Xantasket, 11; (g) Winthrop Beach, 8; (h) Dorchester Beach, 6; 
(i) Gloucester, 5; (;') Dewey Beach (Charlestown), 5; (all these places 
were known to be infected areas) ; (k) 3 other towns w r ere visited by 4 
cases each; of these 3 towns, 2 were known to be infected areas; (I) 8 



22 

other towns were visited by 3 eases each ; of these 8 towns, 7 were known 
to be infected areas; (m) 10 other towns were visited by 2 cases each; 
of these 10 towns, 7 were known to be infected areas; (n) 40 other towns 
were visited by 1 case each; of these 40 towns, 25 were known to be 
infected areas. 

• Institutions for Children. 
It was suggested by the advisory committee that it might be worth 
while to look into the prevalence of the disease in asylums, etc., where 
healthy children lived and were removed from the ordinary conditions 
of street life, many of which institutions were in the midst of infected 
districts. Forty-five such institutions were investigated, where 3,600 
young children lived. Only 1 child of the 3,600 developed the disease, 
and this was under such remarkable conditions that the case may be 
mentioned. 

E. R. (age two years and four months) entered the St. Mary's Infant Asy- 
lum in Dorchester on Aug. 28, 1908. In February, 1909, the child had measles 
and was taken to the South Department of the Boston City Hospital. No 
other sickness since becoming an inmate of the asylum. 

On Sept. 30, 1909, the child had a typical attack of infantile paralysis; the 
diagnosis was made by the attending physician and confirmed at the Children's 
Hospital. Partial paralysis of one leg still persists. 

This child is one of a class of walking children in the institution, numbering 
in all 40. At the time of his illness, 2 or possibly 3 other children suffered 
from slight vomiting and diarrhoea. Nothing else remarkable. 

This child lived as regular institution children do, playing with his 40 com- 
panions on one floor and one porch. 

The child never left the institution after he entered save to go to the City 
Hospital at the time of the attack of measles, several months before. No one 
had visited the child or sent food, toys, etc., for several months before 
onset. 

During the month of September only 6 new children were admitted to that 
part of the asylum. None of these had illness of any sort. 

The child, at the time of onset, showed no marks or bites or wounds. 
His diet was that usually given in an asylum for children, viz., mashed pota- 
toes, meat juices, soups, bread and milk, oatmeal, and, very rarely, fruit. The 
children sleep 16 in a room, and all eat in the same dining hall. 

The child was not isolated during his illness and no other cases occurred. 

Conditions, General axd Special, preceding the Attack. 
The general and individual conditions preceding the attack are shown 
in certain matters in the following tables : — 



23 



Swimming or Wading. 

The frequency with which swimming or wading was mentioned as 
an antecedent in previous years attracted our attention and was em- 
bodied in a question on our blank. Nearly half of the cases had been 
swimming or wading in water contaminated by sewage shortly before 
the onset of the disease. 

Out of 150 cases, 62 were swimming or wading just before onset. 

AVater was contaminated by sewage in 54 instances. 

Water was contaminated more or less in 8 instances. 



Xo history of swimming or wading in 88 instances. 

150 
Exposure to Heat, Cold or Dampness preceding the Attack. 

Cases. 

To heat, 39 

To cold, 25 

To dampness 36 

Not exposed, 50 



150 
Accident, Fall or Overexertion preceding Attack. 
107 cases had no such history. 
34 cases had history of fall. 
9 cases had history of overexertion. 

150 



24 



Diseases prevalent in Town at Time of Occurrence of Infantile Paralysis. 

Families. 

Xot known, 103 

La grippe, 5 

Measles, 7 

Whooping cough, 4 

Digestive troubles, 8 

Rheumatism, 3 

Mumps, 2 

Scarlet fever, .... 2 

Malaria, 2 

Tonsilitis, , 2 

Coryza, 1 

Chickenpox, 1 

Typhoid, 1 

Diphtheria, 1 

142 
Diet. 

General (45 had limited or modified diets), 105 

(a) Raw cow's milk, 120 

(b) Condensed milk, 14 

(c) Breast milk and other food, 14 

(d) Breast milk alone, 

Fish, 80 

Fruit, 100 

Berries, 89 

Meat, 90 

Canned goods: (a) fruits; (b) vegetables; (c) or fish, .... 82 

Cereals, . . . . .15 

Bread and butter, 23 

Vegetables, 90 

Stews and soups, 11 

Eggs, 14 

Tea, 2; cocoa, 3; coffee, 1, 6 

Malted milk, 2 

lee cream, 8 

Predigested and beef juices, 4 

Candy, 2 

Bananas, 6 

Articles of diet are said to have been taken by the affected children, 
as shown in the accompanying table. As many of the cases partook 



25 



of several kinds of food, the total is much in excess of the total number 
of cases. 

It is important to note that no child living on breast milk alone in the 
150 cases carefully studied was affected by the disease. 

Data as to School Attendance. 

Cases. 

School was not attended by 115 

School was attended bv 35 * 



Of the 35 cases attending school : — 

Edward Everett, Dorchester, was attended by . 
Winthrop Primary (including center) was attended by 
Concord Street, Boston, was attended by . 
Savin Hill School was attended by . 

Each at a different school, 

School unknown, 



150 

Cases. 

3 
4 
2 
2 
22 
2 

35 

Possibly favoring Conditions preceding or attending Infection. 

Insect bites or stings, 35; wounds, 13; sore throat, 42; diarrhoea, 35; 
otitis media, 2; coryza, 4; measles, 1; pin worm, 1; bronchitis, 1. 

Xinety-three had one or more of the above possible sources of infec- 
tion; 57 had no such history. Total, 150 cases. 

Incidence of the Disease. 

Sex. — Three hundred and sixty- three males and 263 females were 
affected. 

Age. — By the figures it is seen that the incidence is greatest between 
the ages of two and three. After ten years of age the chart deals only 
with ten-year periods and the average number of cases per year only is 
represented. 

In the chart of age periods it is shown that only 7 per cent, of the 
cases occur in the first year of life, but 71 per cent, of cases occur in 
the first five years and 87 per cent, of cases in the first ten years. 



1 School attendance, was not, however, necessarily continuous up to the time of the attack. 



26 



By Ages. 



Age. 


Cases. 


3 weeks, 1 1 


2 months, 








2 


3 months, 








1 


4 months, 








1 


5 months, 








2 


6 months, 








2 


7 months, 








2 


8 months, 








5 


9 months, 








3 


10 months, 








3 


11 months, 








6 


12 months. 








16 


13 months, 








5 


14 months, 








11 


15 months, 








3 


16 months, 








12 


17 months, 








5 


18 months, 








22 


19 months, 








6 


20 months, 








12 


21 months, 








12 


22 months, 








5 


2 years, . 








121 


3 years, . 








90 


4 years, . 








60 


5 years, . 








32 


6 years, . 








31 


7 years, . 








30 


8 years, . 








9 


9 years, . 








13 



Age. 



Cases. 



10 years, . 

,. 11 years, . 

12 years, . 

13 years, . 

14 years, . 

15 years, . 

16 years, . 

17 years, . 

18 years, . 

19 years, . 

20 years, . 

21 years, . 

22 years, . 

23 years, . 
25 years, . 

27 years, . 

28 years, . 

29 years, . 

30 years, . 

33 years, . 

34 years, . 

35 years, . 

40 years, . 

41 years, . 
62 years, . 
72 years, . 
Not stated. 



15 

5 
9 
4 

11 
2 
3 
2 
1 
7 
2 
4 
5 
3 
3 
1 
1 
2 
2 
2 
1 
2 
2 
1 
1 
1 

13 

628 



By Age Periods. 



From birth to 12 months, inclusive, 

1 year old, 

2 years old, 

3 years old 

4 years old, 

5 years old, 


44 
93 
121 
90 
60 
32 


7.15 

71.54 
87.48 
94.96 


62 

221 

180 

106 

63 

28 


6 to 10 years, inclusive, 


440 
98 


47 


11 to 20 years, inclusive, 


538 
46 


19 


21 to 30 years, inclusive, 

31 to 72 years, inclusive, 

Not stated 


584 
21 
10 
13 


2 

1 
23 




628 


- 


752 



i For purposes of comparison the New York figures are included. 



BY 



-120- 



u 

< 



:I00- 



-80- 



O 



-60- 



:40- 



•20 



-0- 



i i i 



— OJOJCO 



BY AGES 




AVERAGE OF 
10 YR. PERIODS 



»«■'■'■■■ 







— <Mt>j(O^m«)t-«00>2=<Mfo 



3^ 
2i 
3r 
4i 
5i 
61 
7r 
81 
9i 
10 i 
111 

12 i 

13 i 

14 i 

15 i 

16 i 

17 i 

18 i 

19 i 

20 l 
21 1 
22 i 

2^ 

V 
V 
5 3 
? 2 
I' 

9y 



Frc 
1 i 
2*i 
3^ 
4^ 
5? 



61 
111 



211 
31 1 
No 



27 



Mortality. 
The average total death-rate in 628 cases was 8 per cent. The mor- 
tality was greatest over ten years of age, reaching 20 per cent, in that 
period. Under one year the mortality was also high — 16 per cent. ; 
between the ages of one and ten being lowest — 4 per cent. 



Mortality by Age. 



Age. Cases. 


Deaths. 


Mortality 
(Per Cent.). 


Under 1 year, 

1 to 10 years, 

Over 10 years, 

Not stated, 


44 

494 
77 
13 


7 
20 
16 

8 


16 
4 

20 


Total 

Average mortality, 


628 


51 


8 



Early Symptoms. 

Cases, 150. Cases not stated, 3. 

Symptoms reported in 147 cases: fever, 132; pain, 110; tenderness, 
108; vomiting, 67; constipation, 72; retraction of head, 60; diarrhoea, 
38; headache, 33; delirium, 15; anorexia, 15; irritability, 24; stupor 
and restlessness, 14; malaria, 9; nausea, 18; convulsions, 4; twitchings, 
3; cough, 8; dyspnea, 4; sore throat, 8; numbness, 3; chills, 2; weak- 
ness, 1 ; coma, 2 ; abdominal distention, 7 ; pain in abdomen, 1 ; jaundice, 
1; vertigo, 2; double vision, 2; difficulty or inability to swallow, 4; 
difficulty in articulation, 2 ; gastro-intestinal upset, 2 ; diaphragmatic 
breathing, 1; coryza, 1. 

Six cases had skin eruptions; 1, measles and mumps; 1, whooping 
cough; 1, malaria. 



Details of Digestive Disturbances connected with Attack. 

Cases. 

(a) Not stated, 9 

(b) Having no digestive disturbance, 15 

(c) With digestive disturbance, tabulated as follows: — 

(1) Preceding attack: — 

Indigestion or stomach " upset," 4 

Nausea and vomiting, 37 

Constipation, 31 

Colic, 2 

Diarrhoea, 12 

Mucus in stools, . . 2 



28 

(2) Accompanying attack : — Cages 

Indigestion (indefinite), 3 

Nausea and vomiting, 51 

Constipation, 55 

Colic, 8 

Diarrhoea, 24 

Mucus in stools, 1 

.(3) Following attack: — 

Nausea and vomiting, 4 

Constipation, 37 

Colic, 2 

Diarrhoea, . . . 10 

Mucus in stools, .2 

Disturbances of Intestines during Attach. 

Cases. 

No disturbance in 53 

Constipation, 63 

Diarrhoea, 22 

Involuntary defecation, 4 

Constipation, later diarrhoea, 4 

Diarrhoea, later constipation, 4 



150 

Disturbances of Bladder during Attack. 

Cases. 

No disturbance, 114 

Retention, . . 23 

Frequent micturition, 3 

Incontinence, 9 

Retention, later incontinence, . . . . . . . 1 

150 
Pain and Tenderness. 
The frequency of pain and tenderness, sometimes local, sometimes 
pretty general, is not sufficiently regarded as an early and persistent 
symptom. The accompanying table is presented to emphasize the point 
that it occurred in 420 and was absent only in 82 out of 502 cases in 
which its presence or absence was noted : — 

Cases. 
Pain or tenderness was present in ....... . 420 

Pain or tenderness was absent in 82 

Pain or tenderness not stated in 126 

628 



29 



The pain or tenderness lasted : — 

Cases. 

No pain 82 

One day or less 7 

Two days, 16 

Three days 22 

Four days 11 

Five days 10 

Six days, . . 3 

A few days. 13 

One week, 47 

One to two weeks, 75 

Two to three weeks, 36 

Three to four weeks, 26 

One to two months, 28 

Two to three months, 5 

Several months, ........... 3 

Until death, 11 

Present when report was made, 107 

Not stated 126 



Appearance of Paralysis in Days after Onset of Fevei 



Same day, . 
One day, . 
Two days. . 
Three days. 
Four days. 
Five days. 
Six days. . 
Seven clays. 
Eight days. 
Eleven days. 
Twelve days, 
Fourteen days, 
Sixteen days, 
Not known, fatal, 



628 

Cases. 

30 

36 

27 

23- 

14 

7 

5 

1 

1 

1 

1 

2 

1 

1 

150 



Distribution of Paralysis. 
The distribution of the paralysis is shown in the table. It is inter- 
esting to note that when one arm and leg are paralyzed a hemiplegic 
distribution is more common than a crossed paralysis, and the frequency 
of facial paralysis is worthy of note. 



30 

One leg only, 192 

Both leg's only, 151 

One arm only, 32 

Both arms only, 11 

One arm and leg, same side, 57 

One arm and leg, opposite sides, 17 

Both legs and one arm, 38 

Both arms and one leg, 6 

Both arms and both legs, 82 

Not stated, 12 

Back, 83 

Abdomen, 37 

Face, 8 

Right face, 16 

Left face, 10 

Prognosis. 
Recovery Rate in 628 Cases. 
In answer to the question, " Has paralysis entirely disappeared ? " 
the replies were as follows : — 

Yes (10.S per cent.), 62 

No, 404 

Partially, 61 

Death, 51 

Not stated, 50 

628 

This table is intended to emphasize the fact that what appears to be 
recovery in the eyes of the family physician occurs more frequently than 
is generally supposed, 10 per cent, of such cases being reported. This 
led to a closer investigation of the recoveries in the 150 cases carefully 
investigated, and it was reported by the investigators that 25 of these 
(16.7 per cent.) had wholly recovered. This report was not accepted 
and the investigators were sent again to these children, and each child 
was stripped naked and the separate movements of ankle, knee, hip, spine, 
abdomen and arms were separately tested. From this careful examina- 
tion it is sure that 25 children out of 150 have recovered since the dis- 
ease in 1909. The following: tables deal onlv with these 25 cases. 



* 



31 



Age of 25 Recovered Cases. 
So far as one may generalize from these few cases, it would seem that 
the average age of the children was higher than in the cases in general. 



Age. 



1 year, 

2 years, 

3 years, 

4 years, 

5 years, 

6 years, 

7 years, 



Cases. 



9 years, 
10 years, 
14 years, 
21 years, 



Age. 



Cases. 



25 



Onset. 
The character of the onset was mild in 6, moderate in 17 and severe 
in 2. 

Evidence of Paralysis. 
The presence of paralysis in the beginning is vouched for by the at- 
tending physician in 23 cases and by the family in 2, and the distribu- 
tion of paralysis was on the whole fairly extensive, as shown by the 
table. 

Extent of Paralysis in 25 Recovered Cases. 

One thigh and leg, 4 

Both thighs and legs, 5 

Both thighs, 1 

One leg, 2 

One arm, 1 

One leg, arm and back, 1 

One leg and back, 1 

One thigh, leg, arm and forearm, 1 

One arm,, forearm and cervical region, . 1 

Cervical region, 4 

Indefinite staggering gait, 1 



25 



The extent of the paralysis, therefore, did not differ essentially from 
that of the whole group presented above. 



32 



Duration of Paralysis in 25 Recovered Cases. 



Time. 



Cases. 



3 days, 

1 week, 

2 weeks, 

3 weeks, 

4 weeks, 



Time. 



8 weeks, 
12 weeks, 



Cases. 



25 



Tenderness in Recovered Children. 

It was thought that such cases being slighter might show less tender- 
ness in the acute stage, but the tenderness was about as frequent as in 
the severer cases. 

Pain or tenderness in the acute attack existed in 19 out of 25 recov- 
ered cases. 



Duration of Tenderness. 



2 days, 

3 days, 
7 days, 

10 days, 
2 weeks, 



Duration of Tenderness. 



3 weeks, 

4 weeks, 
6 weeks, 
8 weeks, 

i 12 weeks, 



Cases. 



The statement may, therefore, be made that in the whole group of 
628 cases, 10.8 per cent, were reported as wholly recovered; that in the 
smaller group of 150 cases, 16.7 per cent, are known to have recovered; 
and that a study of character of onset, distribution and tenderness in 
these cases gives no means of distinguishing them from other cases at 
the time of the attack. 

Prevention. 

In the matter of prevention of the disease in Massachusetts, in Xo- 
vember, 1909, it was made one of the notifiable diseases, like scarlet 
fever, etc. In a recent circular addressed to physicians it has been ad- 
vised by the Board that such cases should be quarantined, and that urine, 
stools and sputum should be disinfected, and we have called attention 
to the existence of abortive cases as probable sources of contagions 

i In a recent communication, Flexner and Lewis report that a 1 per cent, solution of peroxide 
of hydrogen in perhydrol has been found to distroy the virus. In view of their belief that the en- 
trance of the virus is probably by the respiratory tract, the use of a nasal douche of this character 
would seem advisable. 



33 



CONCLUSIONS. 

These data are presented as a report of progress in an investigation 
which will be continued, and no conclusions are drawn from them. 

That the effort of the State Board meets with general approval is 
shown by the fact that the following resolution was adopted in Wash- 
ington, on May 5, 1910, by the American Orthopedic Association and 
the American Pediatric Society : — 

It having been shown by recent epidemics, and investigations connected with 
the same, that epidemic infantile spinal paralysis is an infectious, communi- 
cable disease which has a mortality of from 5 per cent, to 20 per cent., and 
that 75 per cent, or more of the patients surviving are permanently crippled, 
State Boards of Health and other health authorities are urged to adopt the 
same or similar measures as already adopted and enforced in Massachusetts 
for ascertaining the modes of origin and manner of distribution of the disease, 
with a view to controlling and limiting the spread of so serious an affection. 

What the course of the disease may be in 1910 in Massachusetts can- 
not be predicted. It would be expected from the history of the disease 
that a year of comparative immunity in the State as a whole would 
follow the great prevalence of the disease in 1909, and it is, therefore, 
disappointing to find 22 cases reported in the first five months of 1910, 
as against 15 cases for the same five months in 1909. Whether this 
means merely an increased attention on the part of the profession, or 
a really increased prevalence of the disease, time alone will show. 

The object of the inquiry in 1910 will be twofold. 

First, the formulation and classification of early symptoms and types 
of the disease, with especial reference to early diagnosis; and, second, 
a study of the conditions under which contagion seems to occur, with 
a continued search as to the mode of entry of the virus into the body. 

The medical profession must remember that the Board of Health acts 
only as the agent of the profession in assembling the data provided by 
them, and depends on them for the same willing co-operation that it 
has met and is profoundly grateful for in the past. 

The report for 1910 will be what the profession makes it, and the 
Board is anxious not only for the prompt and full report of typical cases, 
but also for notification of suspicious and atypical cases, which are pos- 
sibly of the abortive type and a most important link in the chain of 
evidence. 



34 



BIBLIOGRAPHY. 

[The more important articles are indicated by asterisks.] 

1. *Trans. Mass. Med. Soc, 1908. 

2. *Bull. State Board Health, Mass., July, 1909. 

3. *E. Lissianski: Emmendingen, 1908, Dolter. 35 pp. 

4. *Starr: Jour. Am. Med. Asso., July 11, 1908. 

5. Treves : Brain, Vol. XXXII., Part 127, 1908, p. 285. 

6. Berg : Med. Rec, Jan. 4, 1908. 

7. A. S. Hamilton: Jour. Minn. Med. Asso. (etc.), Minneapolis, 1909, 
XXIX., pp. 423^28. 

8. R. Neurath : Beibl. z. d. Mitt. d. Gesellsch. f iir inn. Med. u. Kinderh. in 
Wien, 1909, VIIL, pp. 46-51. 

9. K. Potpeschnigg: Wien. klin. Wochenshr., 1909, XXII., p. 1334. 

10. *Landsteiner and Levaditi: Compt. rend. Soc. de Biol., Dec. 3, 1909; 
Dec. 24, 1909. 

11. J. K. Friedjung : Wien. med. Wochenschr., 1909, LIX., pp. 2311-2314. 

12. Gasters: Heine-Medin'schen Krankheit. Ztschr. fur Med. Beamte, 
Berl., 1909, XXII., pp. 613-616. 

13. *H. D. Stephens: Australas, Med. Cong. Trans., Victoria, 1909, III., 
pp. 42-47. 

14. Reichman: Deutsche med. Wochenschr., Leipz. u. Berl., 1909, XXXV., 
p.. 1500. 

15. H. Heiman : Arch. Pediat., New York, 1909, XXVL, pp. 506-516. 

16. G. H. Fellman : Milwaukee Med. Jour., 1909, XVII., pp. 171-175. 

17. *Flexner and Lewis: Jour. Am. Med. Asso., Nov. 13, 1909, p. 1639; 
Dec. 4, 1909, p. 1913: Dee. 18, 1909, p. 2095; Jan. 1, 1910, p. 45; Feb. 12, 
1910, p. 535; April 2, 1910, p. 1140; May 28, 1910, p. 1780. Jour. Exp. Med., 
Mar. 14, 1910. 

18. Sneve and Ramsey: St. Paul Med. Jour., Sept., 1909. (Translation of 
extracts from Wickman, Harbitz and Seheel: Geirsvold.) 

19. M. Berliner: Wien. klin. Wochenschr., Vienna, May 27, 1909, No. 21, 
pp. 737-770. 

20. J. Manning : Wisconsin Med. Jour., Milwaukee, 1908-09, VII., pp. 611- 
618. 

21. W. A. Jones : Jour. Am. Med. Asso., Nov. 13, 1909. 

22. G. Vieten : Ztschr. fur aerztliche Fortbildung, Oct. 15, 1909, p. 633. 

23. *P. Krause : Deutsche med. Wochenschr., No. 42, Oct. 21, 1909. 

24. *P. Krause and E. Meinicke: Idem, p. 1825. 

25. L. Strauss: Jour. Nerv. and Ment. Dis., Lancaster, Pa., 1909, XXXVI., 
pp. 288-291. 

26. H. T. Machell: Dominion Med. Month., Toronto, 1909, XXXIL, pp. 
211-213. 

27. T. E. Green : Intercolon. Med. Jour., Australas., Melbourne, 1909, XIV., 
pp. 197-202. 



35 

28. I.. E. La Fetra : Arch. Pediat., New York, 1909, XXVI., pp. 328-340. 
Also : Trans. Am. Pediat. Soc., New York, 1908, XX., pp. 158-170. 

29. B. S. Rutherford : Kentucky Med. Jour., Bowling Green, 1908-9, VIII., 
P. 133. 

30. *Romer: Munch, med. Wochenschr., Dec. 7, 1909; Dec. 14, 1909; Feb. 
1, 1910. 

31. *Romer and Joseph: Ibid., Feb. 15, 1910; March 15, 1910. 

32. Hohmann: Ibid., Dec. 7, 1909. 

33. •Muller: Ibid,, Nov. 30, 1909. 

34. Hochhaus : Ibid,, Nov. 16, 1909. 

35. O. Foerster : Berl. klin. Wochenschr., No. 49, Dec. 6, 1909. 

36. *George P. Shidler: Jour. Am. Med. Asso., Jan. 22, 1910. 

37. *Strauss and Huntoon: N. Y. Med. Jour., Jan. 8, 1910. 

38. Bremer: Lancet, Feb. 12, 1910. 

39. F. Eichelberg : Deutsch med. Wochenschr., No. 3, Jan. 20, 1910. 

40. Sir W. R. Gowers : Brit. Med. Jour., Feb. 5, 1910. 

41. *C. Leiner and R. V. Wiesner: Wien. klin. Wochenschr., Vienna, Jan. 
20, 1910, XXIIL, No. 3, pp. 83-118; IX., 329, 1910. 

42. Beneke : Munch, med. Wochenschr., Jan. 25, 1910. 

43. L. L. Cazenavette: New Orleans Med. and Surg. Jour., Feb., 1910. 

44. R. Kraus: Wien. klin. Wochenschr., Feb. 17, 1910. 

45. Symes: Lancet, Feb. 12, 1910. 

46. Zappert: Wien. med. Wochenschr., 1909, LIX., 2683-2690. 

47. Netter : Bull, et mem. de la Soc. Med. des Hop. de Paris, 12, 19 and 26, 
Nov., 1910. 

48. H. W. Gill: Northwest, Lancet, Minneap., Mar. 15, 1910. 

49. Job and Froment : Rev. de Med., Mar. 10, 1910. 

50. Knopf elmacher : Wien. med. Klin., 1909, 44, 1671. 

51. Epidemic Poliomyelitis, Report, etc., on the New York Epidemic of 
1907. Nervous and Mental Disease, Monograph Series, No. 6, New York, 1910. 

52. Akute Kinderlahmung und Influenza. Brorstrom. Leipz., 1910. 

53. Lebredo and A. Recio: Sanidad y Beneficencia Boletin Oficial de la 
Secretaria, Habana, March, 1910. 

54. K. Furntratt : Oesterr. San.-Wes., Wien, 1909, XXL, 79-97. 

55. Krause: Munch, med. Wochenschr., 1910, LVIL, 47. 

56. J. Locker : Oesterr. San.-Wes., Wien, 1909, XXL, Beil., 71-78. 

57. A. Netter : Bull, et mem. Soc. med. d. hop. de Par., 1909, 3 s., XXVIIL, 
515-528, 553-567, 629-631, 746-761. 

58. W. R. Ramsey: Jour. Minn. M. Asso. (etc.), Minneap., 1910, n. s., 
XXX., 9-15. 

59. A. Recio : Rev. med. cubana, Habana, 1909, XV., 66-70. 

60. C. K. Russel: Montreal Med. Jour., 1909, XXXVIII, S45-851. 

61. 0. M. Sehloss: Arch. Pediat., New York, 1909, XXVL, 926. Am. Jour. 
Obst., New York, 1910, LXL, 166. 

62. J. Schonka : Oesterr. San.-Wes., Wien, 1909, XXL, 498-501. 

63. Bourgoin : Union med. de Canada, Montreal, 1909, XXXVIIL, 683-688. 



36 

64. J. Hoffmann: Deutsche Ztschr. fur Nervenh.. Leipz., 1909-10, 
XXXVIII.. 146-166. 

65. L. Huismans: Deutsche Aerzte-Ztg.. Berl., 1909. 506-50S. 

66. D. J. McCarthy : Rep. Henry Phipps Inst.. Phila., 1909. Y., 437-442. 

67. R. TVilke : Deutsche tierarztl. YToehensehr., Hannov., 1909, XYIL. 697- 
701. 

68. TVollenweber : Ztschr. f fir Med.-Beamte. Berl., 1909. XXII., 785-793. 

69. Reckzeh: Med. Klin. Berl.. 1909. V., 1704. 

70. F. E. Batten : Clin. Jour., Lond., Feb. 23. 1910. 

71. H. Bonhoff: Deut. med. TVochensclrr., March 24 and 31, and April 7, 
1910. 

72. J. Grober : TTien. med. Klin., Nov. 21. 1909. 

73. E. Job and J. Froment: Revue de Medecine, Paris. March, XXX.. No. 
3. 1910. 

74. P. Krause and E. Meinicke: Deut. med. TVoehensehr., April 7, 1910. 

75. E. J. Melville: Vermont Med. Month., Burlington, March. 1910. 

76. Romer and Joseph : Munch, med. Wochensehr., Feb. 1, 1910. 

77. R. Kraus : Med. Klin.. Berlin. March 20, 1910. 

78. E. Meinicke: Deut. med. TVoehenschr.. April 14. 1910. 

79. J. TV. MeCreery, Whittemore : Iovra Med. Jour., April, 1910. 



INFANTILE PARALYSIS AS OBSERVED IN HEALTH DIS- 
TRICT No. 15 DURING 1909. 



Lyma>" A. JOHES, M.D., State Inspector of Health. 



During 1909 there were 8? cases of anterior poliomyelitis in District 
No. 15 (Berkshire County), 2 cases on the eastern border of the district, 
in Plainfield, and 2 over the line in Xew York State, in Austerlitz, mak- 
ing a total of 86 cases included in this report. 

Appearance oe Cases. 
January and February were the only months in the year when there 
were no cases. Sixty-eight cases, over 79 per cent., occurred during 
August, September and October. 

Location oe Cases. 
With the exception of 2 cases in Plainfield, 1 in Savoy, 1 in Richmond 
and 2 in Austerlitz, 6 in all, the remaining 80 cases were in the central 
part of the county, running north and south, following for the most part 
very closely the course of the streams, along which lie also the principal 
means of communication, including highways, electric railways and steam 
cars. 



37 









Cases by 


Towns. 






City or Town. 


Population. 


Number of Cases. 


Adams, . 




12,548 


19 


Clarksburg, 


t 














1,200 


1 


Egremont, 
















721 


1 


Great Barrington, 
















6,152 


19 


Lee, . 
















4,000 


2 


Lenox, 
















3,058 


7 


North Adams, . 
















23,000 


11 


Pittsfield, 
















30,000 


17 


Richmond, 
















600 


1 


Savoy, 
















549 


1 


Sheffield, 
















1,728 


1 


Stockbridge, 
















2,022 


2 


Plainfield, 
















382 


2 


Austerlitz, N. Y., 




- 


2 



Appearance of Cases Cheonologically. 

A table giving the occurrence of cases in chronological order shows 
that cases appeared impartially through the central portion of the county 
all through the season, except that in Great Barrington there were 19 
cases, all of which appeared between September 3 and October 7, in- 
clusive. 

The number of cases in the family, and the day of illness upon which 
the paralysis appeared, are given below. 



Number of Cases in a Family. 





Families. 


Cases. 


One case 

Two eases, 




72 
7 


72 
14 




79 


86 




Appearance 


of Paralysis. 




Day of Disease. 


Number of Cases. 


Day of Disease. 


Number of Cases. 


First, . 

Second, 

Third, 

Fourth, 

Fifth, 

Sixth, 

Seventh, 






8 

16 

14 

17 

5 

4 

3 


Eighth, .... 
Ninth, .... 
Fourteenth, 
Not stated, 


4 

2 

2 

11 






86 



38 



Possibility of the Disease beixg spread by Physicians. 
The 86 cases were seen or attended by 40 physicians, the number of 
cases to each physician being as follows : — 

22 physicians attended 1 ease each. 
8 physicians attended 2 cases each. 
5 physicians attended 3 cases each. 
2 physicians attended 5 cases each. 
1 physician attended 6 cases. 
1 physician attended 7 cases. 
1 physician attended 10 cases. 

In no instance was any evidence discovered to suggest that the disease 
had been brought into a home or transferred elsewhere by the physician 
in attendance. Nor were there any cases in physicians' families. 

There were 6 fatal cases. There were 4 abortive cases (59, 62, 69 and 
79), while 2 other possible abortive cases, not included in the summary, 
are mentioned in connection with cases 1 and 18. 

Aside from the instances where a second case in a family developed at 
an interval of from three to fifteen days after the initial case, and where 
the primary case may possibly be regarded as the source of infection; 
and aside from two instances to be mentioned, there is very little evidence 
pointing toward the active contagiousness of the disease in Berkshire 
County in 1909. 

While in many places facts have accumulated indicating that in some 
localities, at some times, the disease is readily communicated from one 
person to another, and that it may perchance be carried by a third person, 
this series of cases, as well as the series in Western Massachusetts in 1908, 
studied by Emerson, leads to the conclusion that the contagiousnes's of 
the disease varies greatly in different groups of cases, even though the 
various groups in a given locality occur at the same period and are situ- 
ated comparatively near each other. 

For example, the cases in the North Adams group afford no known 
points of contact with each other. The same is largely true for the cases 
in the Pittsfield group. 

The two instances particularly suggestive of contagion are given in 
detail in the summaries for Adams and Great Barrington (q. v.). 

In the former, two children, giving a positive history of close personal 
contact (kissing) with a child already ill with the disease, promptly de- 
veloped the disease themselves, and one died. 

In Great Barrington, out of 19 cases within a period of thirty-four 
days 13 were associated with one school, 5 pupils themselves contracting 



39 

the disease, the remaining cases having brothers, sisters or other relatives, 
with whom they came in close contact, in attendance at the school. The 5 
cases in pupils of the school were confined to the second, third and fourth 
grades, where the contact might readily be the more intimate on account 
of the younger age of the children in attendance. 

These two instances are of especial interest because of the possibility 
of the infection entering the system through the nasopharyngeal spaces. 

That the virulence of the infection varies greatly is further evidenced 
by the fact that in most instances but 1 case occurred in a family, 
that no cases occurred among the friends or relatives of a given case, and 
that, too, notwithstanding the most intimate contact, such as occupying 
the same room, sleeping in the same bed, assisting in caring for or enter- 
taining the patient by brothers and sisters or neighboring children, and 
the entire absence of any attempt at isolation or quarantine. 

If, as has been maintained by some, every case is to be traced to direct 
or vague indirect contact with some preceding case, it becomes exceed- 
ingly difficult to account for the immunity of the much larger number 
who are in close to intimate contact with the patient. 

A map of the cases emphasizes what has been pointed out previously, 
that with a half dozen exceptions the cases are located in the valley, close 
to the streams, the travelled highways and the steam and electric railway 
lines. 

Under the circumstances it seems reasonable to isolate the patient ill 
with acute anterior poliomyelitis until the acute stage is past, and to urge 
physicians and families to be suspicious of acute attacks of disturbances 
of digestion, accompanied by fever and pain, particularly if at the time 
there are other cases of the disease known in the community. 

Summary, North Adams and Vicinity. 

In North Adams in March occurred a sporadic case, the first of the 
year. The remaining cases, 11 in all, occurred in May (1 case), Septem- 
ber 15 to 29 (4 cases), and October 4 to 20 (5 cases). 

One case taken ill March 2, involving eventually the whole body, was 
fatal twelve days later from paralysis of respiration. 

In each instance there was but 1 case in the family, unless the brother 
of the Clarksburg case (case 1), taken ill two days later with fever, 
vomiting and general achiness, be regarded as an abortive case. 

It is doubtful if the sister of case 7, ill for two days at the same time 
with fever, is to be considered as an abortive case. 



40 



Location. 

Two cases were within one-half to one-quarter mile of the North 
Branch of the Hoosick River, while 10 were close to or comparatively 
near the Hoosick Eiver or its North or South Branches. 

With the exception of case 7, September 29, cases 10 and 11, October 
20, which were comparatively near each other, the cases were widely scat- 
tered. 

So far as school attendance was concerned, but 4 of the children 
attended school (cases 1, 6, 8 and 10), and no 2 cases occurred in chil- 
dren attending the same school; and in but one instance (case 6, taken 
ill September 26, and case 9, taken ill October 14) were other children 
in the same family attending the same school, though even here they 
were in different grades. 

Ten of the cases were attended by as many different physicians. One 
physician had 2 cases (case 1, October 4, case 8, October 11), but he did 
not attend the second family until called to see the child already ill. 

There were no cases in physicians' families, though in four of them 
there are children. 

With the possible exception of the abortive case in the family of case 
1, above mentioned, none of the cases appear to have been associated with 
each other in any known manner. 

In this connection, however, 5 cases (case 2A, May; case 3, August 13; 
case 4, September 15; case 5, September 25; case 11, October 20) are 
located on streets through which electric cars run. These same streets 
are also used somewhat by touring automobiles. 

None of the cases are near railroad stations, and but 3 (cases 2A, 3 
and 5 ) are at all near the railroad tracks. 

Case 1. 

C. R., six years, Clarksburg. Dr. F. D. Stafford, North Adams. Ap- 
parently an isolated case. Was not away from home except in North Adams 
several times during the week beginning September 6 (Old Home Week). 
After complaining of being tired for one week, taken ill October 4 with 
nervousness, fever (103°), retraction of the head and pain in the leg's. On 
October 6, paralysis in both legs, more marked in the left. October 20, 
paralysis still present in the left leg. 

Five other children in the family; they attend school in Clarksburg. 

Abortive Case. 
The brother Charles, eight years, was taken ill on October 6, after eating 
choke cherries, as his brother had done, with fever, vomiting, nervousness 
and general achiness. No paralysis. 



41 



Case 2. 

T. G., one year, 329 River Street. Dr. W. F. McGrath, North Adams. 
An isolated case. Taken ill March 2 with fever and dullness. On follow- 
ing day the fever continued, vomiting and convulsions occurred, though the 
patient appeared better. The convulsions were repeated later, and accord- 
ing to the physician there was paralysis of the whole body, especially of the 
muscles of the chest and neck. Fatal on March 14, from paralysis of respira- 
tion. 

One other child in the family; none in school. 

Case 2A. 

B. R., 23 West Main Street, North Adams. Dr. C. W. Wright, North 
Adams, first saw case; later, Dr. J. H. A. Matte. Without preliminary 
symptoms, except a slight cold for two or three days, patient suddenly felt 
that the left side of the face was stiff and queer, and on the following day 
there was complete paralysis of the left side of the face. This was probably 
in May. Though the condition is improved, the paralysis is still well marked 
(Feb. 19, 1910). 

Case 3. 

C. C, ten months, 183 State Street. Dr. J. H. A. Matte, North Adams. 
Had been having whooping cough during the preceding five weeks. Taken 
ill August 13, at which time the whole of the right arm was found paralyzed. 
September 21, paralysis still present from the shoulder to the elbow. 

One other child in the family; none in school. 

Case 4. 

L. R., three years, 95 Beaver Street. Dr. N. M. Crofts, North Adams. 
With no symptoms preceding except a three-days cold, taken ill on Septem- 
ber 15 with fever. On September 18, paralysis appeared of the right side 
of the face. Still present December 16. 

Two other children in the family; none in school. 

A sixteen-year-old girl, patient's cousin on mother's side, had paralysis 
at fourteen months of age, and is still unable to walk. She often visits this 
family. 

Case 5. 

E. Mi, three years, 1527 West Main Street, Blackinton. Dr. J. B. Hull, 
Williamstown. Early in August fell down stairs. No apparent injury. A 
week later had a prolapse of the rectum, which required replacing by a 
physician. During the last half of August was in Winchendon, Mass. At 
the end of August, on her return from Winchendon, had an attack of bowel 
disturbance, accompanied with fever, vomiting and diarrhoea. About Sep- 
tember 25 became feverish (102°), irritable, restless, with pain in the back 
and legs, followed by vomiting and diarrhoea. About October 1 paralysis 
appeared in both legs. Still present, especially in the left leg (October 14). 



42 

One other child in the family, attending Blaekinton School, grade 2. 
Query : Did this case really begin at the end of August, and were the later 
symptoms in September a recurrence? 

Case 6. 

R. T., one year, 27 Harris Street. Dr. M. M. Brown, North Adams. 
During the early part of July had bowel trouble for three or four weeks. 
Taken ill with fever on September 26, and on following day the right arm 
was paralyzed. 

Six other children in family; 1 attending Veazie School, grade 2, and 1 
attending Johnson School, grade 5. 

Case 7. 

G. P., nineteen months, 60 Cliff Street. Dr. W. A. Brosseau, North 
Adams. Previously well. Fever on September 29. Very little pain. Con- 
stipated. On October 2, paralysis in right leg. 

Five other children in the family, 2 of whom attend the Notre Dame 
School, grades 2 and 5. 

At the time this child was taken ill a sister had a fever for two days. 
No other symptoms. It seems unlikely that this was an abortive case. 

Case 8. 

J. M., seven years, 57 Kemp Avenue. Dr. F. D. Stafford, North Adams. 
Taken ill October 11, with fever, headache, vomiting and pain back of eyes 
and in back of neck. Paralysis in right side of the face on October 13. 

No other children in the family. The patient attends Houghton School, 
grade 3. 

Case 9. 

G. M., two years, 45 Williams Street. Dr. 0. J. Brown, North Adams. 
For two weeks preceding, fingers and eyes seemed sore. On October 14, 
fever, vomited, did not seem to see well, and had been very quiet for two 
days before. On October 18 there was retention of the urine, and paralysis 
of both arms and both legs. Could not hold the head up. 

Three other children in household; 1 attends the Johnson School, grade 7, 
and one attends the Drury School. Four cousins, living on Loftus Street, 
were frequent visitors during the illness, and they attend the Yeazie School, 
kindergarten and grade 1. 

Case 10. 

J. M., six years, 14 Montgomery Street. Dr. J. F. C. Forster, North 
Adams. Sent home from school on October 19 on account of a headache. 
Nosebleed that evening for nearly two hours. On following day there 
was slight paralysis of the left, side of the face, gradually becoming more 
pronounced during the succeeding two days. 

Four other children in family. Patient returned to school at St. Joseph's, 
grade 1, on October 22 or 23. 



43 



Case 11. 

R. T., two and one half years, 132 Union Street. Dr. A. A. Harper, 
North Adams. No fever. Illness began October 20 with vomiting, pain 
in both legs and in the right arm. Paralysis on same date in both legs and 
in right arm. 

Two other children in the family; none in school. 

Summary, Adams and Vicinity. 

In Adams and vicinity there were 22 cases (Adams 19, Savoy 1, Plain- 
field 2). 

Savoy and Plainfield cases are included in this group because Adams 
is the natural trading center and source of supplies. 

The first cases in Adams were 3 which occurred at the end of the month 
on the 27th and the 29th of July. On August 3 occurred the case in 
Savoy, while in Adams there were cases on the 8th, 20th and 30th of the 
month. In Adams there were cases September 8, 18 (2) and 26. 

Late in the month, September 22 and 29, occurred the Plainfield cases, 
both in the same family. 

In October, on the 2d, 3d and 21st, occurred further cases in Adams. 
Between November 2 and 5 (about) there were 3 cases, and the last were 
on December 4 and 7, both in the same family. 

Paralysis, more or less severe, was present in every case but 1 (case 
28). 

One case, taken ill on July 29, with paralysis of both legs and throat 
on August 1, was fatal on August 3, from paralvsis of respiration (case 
13). 

In three instances there were 2 cases in the same family. In all the 
remaining instances but a single member of the household was afflicted. 

An infant of nineteen months on High Street, was taken ill on August 
20, with paralysis of the right leg on August 26 (case 18). 

On August 31 a two-year-old baby living upstairs in the same house 
was taken with fever, diarrhoea and loss of appetite. It recovered within 
a few days without further symptoms. There had been some communica- 
tion back and forth between the two families, and possibly this should 
be regarded as an abortive case. 

All of the Adams cases were practically in the valley near the north 
and south center of the town, and near or comparatively near the South 
Branch of the Hoosick River. Those farther away were in every instance 
near some small brook feeding into the branch of the river just men- 
tioned. 

With reference to the town itself two or possibly three groups of cases 
may be distinguished. 



44 

One group is at the south part of the town, where the first cases 
occurred. Between July 27 and September 18 there were 8 cases, with 
2 more somewhat at one side early in December, both in the same family. 

At the north end of the town, near Kenfrew, was another group of 4 
cases, 3 in two adjoining tenements, between September 18 and Novem- 
ber 5. 

The 5 remaining cases, more or less scattered, were in the central por- 
tion of the town, on August 7, 30, October 2, 21, and November 2, 
respectively. 

In Adams, again, school attendance, with one possible exception, seems 
to have had no part in the spread of the disease. 

Two boys who attended the first grade of the Liberty Street School 
were taken ill on October 21 (case 23) and November 2 (case 24), re- 
spectively. The former child was out of school during the week of 
October 25, except for a half day on October 26. He was in attendance 
from November 1 to 4, inclusive, and has not been in school since. The 
second boy left on November 2, so that there was possible contact on 
October 26 and again on November 1. 

Aside from these two none of the patients attended school. Nor were 
there any instances where other children in the same family with the 
patient attended the same school, except that on September 13 other 
children from four families where the disease existed earlier in the sum- 
mer began attendance at the Commercial Street School. No new cases 
developed here, however. 

The 22 cases were attended by 7 different physicians. In no instance 
had an interval of less than a month intervened between the time the 
physician last called at the house and the time he was called to attend the 
patient already ill with paralysis. 

There were no cases in the families of physicians, though in four or 
five of the families there are children. 

Possible evidences of contagion are shown in the following instances : — 

The first case appeared in the south part of the town, in a boy three 
years of age, on July 27 (case 12). He played much with his cousin, a 
three-year-old-girl, who lived on an adjoining street, and kissed her on 
the day he became ill. She also visited him daily, and probably kissed 
him until she herself became ill, two days later, on July 29 (case 13). 
This case was fatal on August 3. 

This child played frequently with a little girl of two and a half years, 
living two doors away, who was taken ill on August 8 (case 16). In this 
case there is a history of the child having kissed the preceding (case 13) 
after she was taken ill. The mother of the third case also visited the 
house of the second case after the patient's decease, and viewed the re- 
mains, on August 4 or 5. 



45 

These 3 cases are of special interest in view of the recent announce- 
ment of Dr. Flexner showing that the secretions of the nasal passages 
contain the infecting material. 1 

The remaining cases in the immediate neighborhood afforded no 
history which would indicate the source of the disease. 

Of the group of 4 cases at the north end of the town, 3 appear to have 
been somewhat in contact. 

A boy of five years (case 17A), living in a six- tenement block, was 
taken ill on or about September 18. A brother, seventeen years old, 
became ill on October 3 (case 17B). 

An infant of twenty-one months (case 25A), living in the adjoining 
tenement, was taken ill November 5 or shortly after. This patient's 
mother visited in the adjoining tenement during the illness of the older 
brother, and the younger children played more or less with the younger 
brother (case 17A). 

There is no evidence of the association of these cases with others in the 
town. 

The possible contact of 2 cases in the scattered group in the center of 
the town has already been indicated in the paragraph on schools (cases 
23 and 24). 

There is nothing to indicate the source of the disease in cases 26 and 
27, a brother of four years and a sister of twenty-one months, taken ill 
on December 4 and 7, respectively, except that if the incubation period 
in the majority of cases is from two to four days, as suggested by Wick- 
man, it would seem reasonable to conclude that the sister received her 
infection from the brother. 

With reference to the cases 29 and 30, daughter and father, in Plain- 
field, the following is of interest : — 

The daughter, three years, became ill in the evening of September 22, 
after her return from Adams, where she had been during the day, on a 
trading trip with her mother. There was no known contact with other 
cases. This was the first time she or her mother had been away from 
home for two or three months. 

At this same time, September 22, her father was ailing, but he did not 
really give up till September 29. Earlier in the month he had driven 
some horses to Springfield, spending four days in the round trip. So far 
as known he did not come in contact with other cases. 

This man's father, who lived with him, died from heart disease on 
August 16. The minister from the adjoining town, who conducted the 
funeral two or three days later, had a child ill at the time with infantile 
paralysis. If this can be considered the source of infection, the incuba- 
tion period was much prolonged. 

i Jour. A. M. A., Feb. 12, 1910, p. 535. 



46 

Two cases (case 13, July 29, and case 16, August 8) are on streets 
through which electric cars pass, while 5 are located on side streets very 
near electric car lines. 

Automobile traffic through the town follows almost entirely the line 
of the electric cars. 

Case 12. 

Boy, D., three years, 15 Elm Street, Adams. Dr. P. S. Potter, North 
Adams, Dr. H. B. Holmes, Adams. Taken ill July 27, with fever, intense 
headache, vomiting, constipation. Tried to walk, but fell. Tenderness along 
the spine. July 29, paralysis in both legs. 

There is one other child, of six years of age. No school at this season, 
though the child began in the fall at the Commercial Street School, grade 1. 

This patient is a cousin of the following case, A. D. (case 13). The 
two children played together constantly. The case 13 child saw this patient 
the night he was taken ill and kissed him. She also saw him each day till 
taken ill herself, on July 29, and probably kissed him. Father works at the 
Jacquard Mill. 

Case 13. 

A. D., three years, 123 Commercial Street, Adams. Dr. H. B. Holmes, 
Adams. About the end of June fell 9 feet; no apparent injury. About 
July 22, considerably frightened by an automobile. Taken ill July 29, with 
high fever, vomiting and considerable prostration. August 1, some retrac- 
tion of the head, some paresis of both legs and paralysis of muscles of mouth. 
Fatal on August 3, from paralysis of respiration ; for- thirty hours previous 
to death was unable to speak. 

This patient is a cousin of the above (case 12), with whom she played on 
the day he became ill, and kissed him that night, after he was ill. Also 
saw him daily till taken ill herself. Also played with case 16. There is one 
other younger child. Father works in the Jacquard Mill. 

Case 14. 

B. D., four years, 8 Pearl Street, Adams. Dr. A. K. Boom, Adams. Taken 
ill about July 29, with fever, vomiting and some pain (child did not want 
to be touched). There followed about August 1 partial paralysis of both 
legs; the child could not stand up, and there was some difficulty in voiding 
urine. 

One other child, a boy of seven, in the family. Four Yankee children in 
the other side of the house. They do not play together much because of the 
difference in nationality. No school at this time. The boy now goes to the 
Commercial Street School, grade 1. Father works at the Berkshire Mills. 

There is no information obtainable of contact with other cases. Cases 
12, 13 and 16 are all near, but the mothers of all agree that this child was 
not acquainted with them. They all live very near each other, however. 



47 



Case 15. 

S. G., fifteen months, 3 Godek Street, Adams. Dr. A. K. Boom, Adams. 
History previous to the appearance of the paralysis, about August 7, unob- 
tainable. The family are ignorant Poles, and even with an interpreter can 
furnish no satisfactory information. On August 7 both legs were paralyzed. 

Taking into account the time of occurrence, the age of the patient, the 
nationality of the family and the location of the home, contact with other 
cases seems improbable. 

Case 16. 

D. G., two and one-half years, 127 Commercial Street, Adams. Dr. A. K. 
Boom, Adams. Taken ill August 8, with fever, slight stiffness of the spine 
and the head drawn back. On the third day vomiting. On the following day 
there was pain at McBurney's point, and appendicitis was suspected. On 
the third or fourth day, as developed later, retention of the urine occurred, 
only the excess from the distended bladder escaping. On the fifth day patient 
was removed to a hospital and operated on for a supposed intussusception of 
the bowel. Nothing was found except an excessively distended bladder. On 
August IS appeared paralysis of both legs and the right arm, thus estab- 
lishing the diagnosis. 

One other child in family, attending Commercial Street School, since opened 
in September. Father is a fern dealer. 

This child played much with case 13, and on the day he was taken ill, July 
29, saw him and kissed him. Mrs. G. visited the D. family on August 4 or 5, 
just before the funeral, to carry some flowers, and was in the room to see the 
body. 

Case 17. 

F. 0., four years, 1 Plunkett's Lane, Adams. Dr. J. H. Choquette, Adams. 
Taken ill on September 18 with fever, and that same night the leg (left) 
was paralyzed. On September 19 vomited several times. This was a mild 
case. 

One other child in the family, younger. No school. Father works in the 
Jacquard Mill. The visit of the family to Plainfield in August was not 
near any known case on the mountain. 

Case 17 A. 

R. S., five years, 74 Friend Street, Adams. Dr. A. Desrocher, Adams. 
During July and August had whooping cough. The sister next younger also 
had the same disease, and died from it on August 16. Taken ill about Sep- 
tember 18, with headache, fever, vomiting and convulsions. Retraction of the 
head was present, and for three days he was delirious. About September 21 
both legs were paratyzed. Improvement began after two weeks. 

There are 5 other children ; none in school. A brother works in the cloth 
room at the No. 4 Berkshire Mill. The father of case 25A (early in November) 
also worked here. 



48 

An older brother (see following case, 17B) was taken ill with this disease 
on October 3. 

A child in the adjoining tenement was taken ill early in November (see 
case 25A). 

Case 17B. 

C. S., seventeen years, 74 Friend Street, Adams. Dr. A. Desrocher, Adams. 
Without previous illness, taken ill on October 3 with fever, headache, dizzi- 
ness and pain in the back. Retraction of the head present. On October 10, 
paralysis of left leg and the right arm. For about one week not able to 
get about. 

At present is at work as spare hand in the main mill of the Renfrew Manu- 
facturing Company. The left leg is smaller and also weaker than the right 
at present (Feb. 15, 1910). 

This boy is brother of the foregoing (case 17A), and it would seem prob- 
able that this was a case of contact infection from the brother. During the 
illness of this patient the mother of a child next door (case 25 A) came to 
call, and the children of both families were together more or less. 

Case 18. 

"W. S. G., nineteen months, 10 High Street, Adams. Dr. J. A. Quest, 
Adams. Taken ill on August 20, with fever. On 21st seemed better; on 23d 
cried all day; on 24th perspired and slept much of the time. The inclination 
to sleep continued nearly one week. On August 26th the right leg was para- 
lyzed. 

An only child. Father works in Jacquard Mill, where father of case 12, 
taken ill July 27, works. Before and during the illness, children living up- 
stairs, two, four and nine years of age, played with this baby, and soon 
after, possibly about August 31, the two-year-old boy was taken ill (see 
following case). 

Possible Abortive Case. 

E. G., two years, 10 High Street, Adams. Dr. J. A. Quest, Adams, who 
made one visit as society physician, and made no record of it. Hence the un- 
certainty of the date of the illness. About August 31 taken ill with fever, 
diarrhoea, loss of appetite. This was on a Friday or a Saturday. When sent 
for the physician was out of town, and did not come till the following 
Tuesday. Only one visit. There was some question as to circumcision, which 
was done some time in September. There was no paralysis, and no further 
symptoms. In October the child again had fever, vomiting and was dull. 
Seen by physician three times. 

This woman keeps about 15 chickens. An indefinite time before case 18 
was taken ill 2 of the chickens died, one about two weeks after the other. 
The deaths were sudden, and the chickens were previously well so far as 
known. 



49 



Case 19. 

I. C, four years, 3 Gilliad Street, Adams. Dr. A. K. Boom, Adams. 
August 30 taken ill with fever and vomiting. On September 1, paralysis 
both legs and right arm. Constipated. 

One other child, ten years, at French parochial school, grade 3. Father 
works at L. L. Brown Paper Company, lower mill. Mother works at spinning, 
Berkshire Mill No. 3. The children in this family had no contact with a 
small child upstairs, though they now stay there while the parents are at 
work. 

Case 20. 

R. P., two years, 16 Temple Street, Adams. Dr. J. H. Choquette, Adams. 
Illness began with fever, slight retraction of head and pain in neck on Sep- 
tember S, followed by headache and paralysis of right arm on September 10. 

There are 2 other children, older; 1 in school at Commercial Street, grade 
2, though school did not begin till September 13. The father works as a 
trimmer in the upper mill of the L. L. Brown Paper Company. 

Case 21. 

P. P., three years, 143 Bellevue Avenue, Adams. Dr. A. K. Boom, 
Adams. On September 26 taken ill with fever, tenderness in the legs and 
some pain in the neck. Constipation. On September 28, paralysis in both 
legs. Retention of urine for twenty-four to thirty-six hours. 

One other child, older, attending the Maple Grove School, grade 2. Father 
works for Renfrew Manufacturing Company as a painter. No known con- 
tact with other cases. 

Case 22. 

J. F. N., four years, 48 Maple Street, Adams. Dr. J. H. Choquette, 
Adams. In April had what attending physician said was eczema, but what 
Dr. Boom, who was called in, said was scarlet fever. Child peeled. There 
was subsequent weakness in walking. Just two weeks before J. was taken 
ill, the father was sick with grippe, and consulted the same physician at 
the tatter's office. The physician was not in the house for at least a month 
before this illness began. Illness began October 22, with fever and head- 
ache. Vomited once on following day, at which time appeared paralysis 
of the right arm. There was also some pain in the neck and tenderness in 
the right arm. There was also a mild tonsilitis at this time. Constipated. 

There are 2 younger children; none in school. Father employed as clerk 
in drug store. There are 2 French children in the family downstairs. 

Case 23. 
R. D., five years, 53 Spring Street, Adams. Dr. A. Desrocher, Adams. 
Illness began October 21, with fever, some pain and tenderness in the legs. 
On October 24 woke crying, and said he could not move. Brought down- 
stairs and dressed, but was inclined to lie in a chair for this and the follow- 



50 

ing days. On October 25 woke crying again, and said his " legs were gone." 
Later he got about by placing his hands on a chair and hopping. This 
continued for ten or twelve days, and disappeared gradually by the end 
of a month. 

There are 2 younger children. This boy attended school at Liberty Street, 
grade 1, from which room there was another case (24) on November 2. 

The school record of attendance shows as follows: this boy was first 
out on October 25, whole day; was in in the afternoon of the 26th of 
October, and then out rest of the week. The following week was in from 
November 1 to 4, inclusive, then permanently out. From which the inference 
is that the dates as to the onset of the illness are not entirely accurate, 
though the facts stated are correct. 

Early in August he was on a farm in Savoy, near the Harris farm (see 
case 28), whence he returned at the end of August. During the stay in the 
country he visited the Harris farm and saw the patient there after she had 
been taken ill. The interval before his own illness is too long to make this 
likely as the source of his infection. This boy frequently played at his 
father's livery stable, where he may have come in contact with the grand- 
father of case 20 (taken ill September 8), though the interval here seems 
long to trace the infection thence. The grandfather and case 20 were in 
frequent contact. 

Case 24. 

J. C, six years, 17 Randall Street, Adams. Dr. A. J. Bond, Adams. 
Taken ill November 2, with fever, possibly some headache. Paralysis of 
both legs on November 4. 

Attended Liberty Street School, grade 1, where he was in possible con- 
tact with case 23 on November 1, and during the preceding week. No other 
cases occurred in this school. 

There are 5 other children, 2 of whom attend the same school, grades 4 
and 9. They lost no time from school during the whole of the brother's 
illness. Father is a master plumber. 

Case 25. 

F. B., twenty-seven months, 18 Pine Street, Adams. Dr. A. K. Boom, 
Adams. November 4, taken ill with fever and slight tenderness in left leg. 
On November 5, paralysis in lower part of left leg. 

One younger child. Father, mule spinner, Berkshire Mill No. 4. No 
known contact with other cases. An English family, here only a few months, 
not acquainted much as yet. 

Case 25 A. 

H. W., twenty-one months, 76 Friend Street, Adams. Dr. H. B. Holmes, 
Adams. During late summer and early fall had stomach trouble. Taken ill 
after November 5, with fever and vomiting. Constipated. No special pain. 
Two weeks later, about November 19, had paralysis of both legs. Still (Feb. 
15, 1910) unable to walk. 



Six other children in family, 2 in Renfrew School, grades 4 and 5. 
Possible contact with case 17B, next door, through the children who played 
together. Father works in cloth room, Mill No. 4, Berkshire Mills. 

Case 26. 

A. T., four years, 13 Enterprise Street, Adams. Dr. J. H. Choquette, 
Adams. December 4, fever (104°), delirious and pain in the neck and right 
hip and leg. Vomiting. Constipation. December 5, paralysis of right 
leg. 

Brother of case 27. 

Case 27. 

C. T., twenty-one months, 13 Enterprise Street. Dr. J. H. Choquette, 
Adams. Taken ill December 7, with fever (102°), slight retraction of head, 
some pain in the back and legs. 

December 10, paralysis of both legs and the right arm. 

Sister of ease 26. 

Ten other children, older, in the family at home. Some attend the 
parochial school and some work, but there is no known contact, either direct 
or indirect, between these cases and others. This is probably a contact in- 
fection from the first case in the family. 

Case 28. 

E. H., five years, Brier, Savoy. Dr. W. W. Pascoe, Savoy. Taken ill 
August 1, and on August 3 had fever, vomiting, slight sore throat, pain and 
tenderness in the leg. No marked paralysis, but rather weakness in legs. 

A brother, fourteen years, had a similar attack at five years of age. 
Now has marked atrophy of left leg. No known contact with other cases 
previously (see case 23). 

Case 29. 

M. J., three years, Plainfield. Dr. W. W. Pascoe, Savoy. Entirely well, 
living remote from neighbors, was taken ill on September 22, with fever, 
delirium and pain in the back. Also had nosebleed, vomiting and diarrhoea. 
On day of onset had made a trip to Adams with her mother, but so far as 
known came in no contact with any Adams case. On September 26, par- 
alysis of both legs and some difficulty in voiding urine. 

The following case is the child's father. 

Case 30. 
H. J., thirty-three years, Plainfield. Dr. W. W. Pascoe, Savoy. This 
patient, father of the preceding, was ailing at the time his daughter was taken 
ill, or even a day or two before, but he did not give up till September 29, 
when he had fever, nosebleed, pain in the neck and delirium. There was 
retention of urine, paralysis of both legs and both arms, and partial 
paralyse of right side of the face. There was also disturbance of the 



52 

respiratory muscles. At the present time he is in a Springfield hospital, 
and is only now (December 24) beginning to move his toes. 

Some time previous to the illness he drove several horses over the road 
to Springfield, being absent three or four days. So far as known he came 
in contact with no other cases. On August 16, the patient's father, who 
lived with him, died of heart disease. The funeral, a day or two later, was 
conducted by a minister from Cummington, whose child was ill at the time 
with infantile paralysis. Here is a possibility of infection through a 
third party, though the interval between exposure and onset is considerable. 

Beside the daughter above mentioned, there are 2 other children in the 
family, one younger, one older. 

SuMZ\IAKT, PlTTSFIELD AND VlCINITY. 

In point of time the Pittsfield cases were much more closely grouped 
together than in the other communities, with, the exception of Great 
Barrington. 

Between July 14, previous to which date there was 1 case (case 31, 
June 22), and September 9, 14 cases occurred, 10 of which were in 
August. In October there were 3 cases (case 46 on October 8, case 47 
on the 27th, and case 48 in Eichmond on the 28th). 

Paralysis, in every case involving the legs, was present. 

There was but 1 case in a household. There were no suggestive abor- 
tive cases. 

It is worth noting that here again the large majority of the cases are 
located near or comparatively near the Housatonic River. 

"While in one locality 6 cases occurred moderately near each other, on 
June 22, July 19, August 7, 14, 15 and 20 (cases 31, 34, 36, 37, 38 and 
40, respectively), the fact that all of the patients were but three years 
old or less makes the likelihood of contact between them exceedingly 
slight. The history of these cases also discloses no evidence of contact. 

Another group of cases, in the southern and western part of the city, 
on July 14, 17, August 15, 21 and 22 (cases 32, 33, 35, 39, 41 and 42, 
respectively), show equally slight probability of contact, except that case 
35, in an Italian family, and case 39, in a Jewish family, opposite each 
other on the same street, may have been in indirect contact through other 
children in the family. 

Otherwise there are no known points of contact between the different 
cases. 

In all but three instances there are other children in the family of the 
patient. 

That the schools had no part in occasioning the spread of the disease 
in Pittsfield appears from the fact that but 3 of the cases occurred after 
the opening of the schools, on September 7. 



53 

In but a single instance did a patient attend school (case 45, September 

9)- 

Nor in any instance save one were children from the households of 

patients attending the same schools. In this instance (case 45, just 

mentioned, and case 46, October 8) the children were in different rooms, 

while the interval of nearly a month since any possible indirect contact 

speaks strongly against infection from this source. 

The 18 cases were attended by 10 physicians. One physician attended 
5 cases at an out-patient department. Another physician attended 3 
cases, and 2 others 2 each. 

There were no cases in physicians' families, though in three of the 
families there are children. 

In no instance is there record of the physician having recently visited 
the family of the patient previously to being called to attend the patient 
himself. 

Five of the cases (case 32 July 14, case 33 July 17, case 41 August 21, 
case 45 October 9, case 47 October 27) are either on the line of the elec- 
tric cars, or very near on side streets leading from the car line. None of 
the cases, with the exception of those just mentioned and one or two 
others, are on streets frequented by automobile tourists. 

Five or 6 of the cases are near the railroad, 1 of them near the station. 

Case 31. 

TV. P., two and one-half years, 86 Danforth Street, Pittsfield. Dr. F. S. 
Coolidge, Pittsfield. Taken ill about June 22. Fever very slight, if any. 
There first appeared a weakness of the right leg, which gradually increased, 
till at the end of a fortnight there was complete paralysis of the right leg. 
This persisted for two weeks, and then gradually disappeared, full recovery 
being noted early in August. 

One younger child. No school. No acquaintance with other cases. Father 
employed at Elmhurst Farm. 

This was the first Pittsfield case. 

Case 32. 

L. L. S., twenty-two months, 59 Harris Street, Pittsfield. Dr. J. D. 
Howe, Pittsfield. Some time in June visited in Adams, on Elm Street, in 
the same neighborhood where later were cases in Adams. While there 
played in hot sun. June 12 had a burn of the right leg. Recovery. Taken 
ill with general gastro-intestinal symptoms on July 14. Fever was observed 
on July 19. Pain and tenderness were general over the whole body. There 
was suppression of urine on July 24, and two days later, on July 26, there 
was paralysis of both legs. 

Second case in Pittsfield, in a totally different part of the city from the 
preceding. 

Other children in the familv. No school at this time. 



54 



Case 33. 

J. E. B., seventeen months, 219 New West Street, Pittsfield. Dr. Mercer, 
Pittsfield. Was ailing somewhat for one or two days previous to the onset 
of the fever, on July 17 or 18. The doctor was called, and for a day the 
patient seemed better. Then the fever returned. There was retraction of 
the head, considerable pain and tenderness in the back. Also some gen- 
eral twitching on the first day. On July 21 there was paralysis of both 
legs. No bowel disturbance, no vomiting. 

Three other children in the family. No school at this season. 

Case 34. 

E. G., two and one-half years, 130 Madison Avenue, Pittsfield. Dr. J. A. 
Langlois, later Dr. G. E. Reynolds, Pittsfield. Taken ill between July 19 
and 26, feeling dull and weak in the legs. At the same time paralysis of 
left leg appeared. 

Seven other children in family; oldest is 19 years, employed at Eaton, 
Crane & Pike's; others work in Musgrove Knitting Company and Stanley 
shops. There are 5 children in the opposite side of the house, with whom 
these children were in more or less contact. No school at this season. No 
apparent contact with other cases. 

Case 35. 

K. T., two years, 34 Jordan Avenue, Pittsfield. Dr. W. A. Millett, Pitts- 
field. Taken ill in August, with fever, stiffness of the neck and some pain 
in neck and legs, which continued for a week. Three days after the onset 
paralysis of both legs occurred, of such degree that the patient could not 
walk for four weeks. For two days he was unable to void. 

Two other children in the family. No school. Case 39, taken ill August 
15, lives on the opposite side of the street. There are children in this 
family as well, and notwithstanding the difference in nationality (Jews and 
Italians), it is conceivable that the other members of the families were in 
contact. 

Case 36. 

R. H., three years, 94 Turner Avenue, Pittsfield. Dr. G. E. Reynolds, 
Pittsfield. Taken ill August 7, with fever, pain in back and neck. Con- 
stipated. On August 10, paralysis of left leg, the right leg also becoming 
paralyzed afterwards. 

One younger child in family. No school. No contact known with other 
cases. They are acquainted with the family of case 31 (taken ill June 22). 
No history of visits. 



55 



Case 37. 

R. F. S., two years, 108 Linden Street, Pittsfield. Dr. 
Taken ill on August 14, with fever, some pain in back and neck. On 
August 15, paralysis of both legs. Constipated. Retraction of head for five 
days. 

One other child in family. The patient had been to moving pictures with 
his mother several times. No school. Case 34 (taken ill July 19) is near by, 
but there is no history of contact between them. 

Case 38. 

D. K., twenty-two months, 52 North John Street, Pittsfield. Dr. F. S. 
Coolidge, Pittsfield. Taken ill about August 15, with fever, pain in neck 
and vomiting. On the following day there was paralysis of both legs, the 
left leg worse. Constipation. 

Three other children in family, 2 older, 1 younger. No school. The 
parents are acquainted with the families of cases 39, 40 and 43, taken ill 
August 15, 20 and 25, respectively, two of them Jews. But with one family 
(case 39) there is no social or other relations, and with the others there was 
no contact until they were brought together after the occurrence of the dis- 
ease. Father deals in junk. 

Case 39. 

D. H., eleven months, 37 Jordan Avenue, Pittsfield. Drs. England, Langlois, 
Coolidge, Pittsfield. Taken ill about August 15, with fever, drowsiness and 
soreness in the back. Three days later there was paralysis in both legs, the 
left leg worse. 

Seven other children in the family. No school. Father is a junk collector. 
They know of no other cases except the Italian child on the opposite side 
of the street (case 35). 

Case 40. 

B. K., twenty months, 273 Dewey Avenue, Pittsfield. Dr. F. S. Coolidge, 
Pittsfield. The parents were informed that a few days before the onset of 
the illness the baby had been thrown from the baby carriage. The baby 
showed no evidence of it. Without preliminary symptoms the child's leg 
(left) was found to be paralyzed about August 15. 

No known contact with other cases till some time later. There are other 
children in the family. 

Case 41. 

E. F., two years, 18 East Mill Street, Pittsfield. Dr. G. P. Hunt, Pittsfield. 
For two weeks, while company was in the house, the child had been out in 
the sun a good deal, and when she became feverish, on August 28, mother 
thought it might be due to exposure and fatigue. On September 2 appeared 
paralysis of the lower part of the left leg and the left arm. 

An only child. No known contact with other cases. This house is situated 
close to a millpond, and on the opposite side of the pond, a short distance 
away, is case 32, taken ill in June. 



56 



Case 42. 

A. R., three years, 194 Wendell Avenue, Pittsfield. Dr. J. B. Thomes, 
Pittsfield. On August 22, languid with fever (103°). On August 25, 
possible slight paralysis of right leg, but well-marked paralysis of left 
leg. Involuntary urination on the night of August 25. 

One younger child in family. No school. No contact. An unusually 
well-appointed home, of the best class. 

Case 43. 

I. Y., two and one-half years, 130 Lincoln Street, Pittsfield. Dr. J. A. 
Langlois, Pittsfield. On August 22, a slight fall, nothing to it. Fever on 
August 25, accompanied with retraction of the head, stiffness of neck and 
pain in left hip and leg, continuing till September 1, when paralysis ap- 
peared in the right leg. For a week following the appearance of the paraly- 
sis could not retain the contents of the bowel or bladder. 

Five other children in the family. No school at this time. The family 
moved here one week before the illness began, coming here from a con- 
crete house on South Onota Street, near the Housatonic River, not far from 
Jordan Avenue (eases 35 and 39). 

Case 44. 

D. M., nineteen months, 6 Atlantic Avenue, Pittsfield. Dr. F. S. Coolidge, 
Pittsfield. August 29 had vomiting and fever, also pain in left leg. On 
September 1, paralysis of left leg. 

No known contact with other cases. Family not acquainted with other 
Italian case (ease 35), which is in another part of the city entirely. Two 
older children. No school at this time; Linden Street since. Many Italian 
laborers board here. 

Case 45. 

E. C, nine years, 13 Mellville Street, Pittsfield. Dr. G. E. Reynolds, 
Pittsfield. From July 29 to August 25 was with his mother in Bennington, 
Vt., staying in a pleasant house in the high part of the town. Returned to 
Pittsfield on August 25, on an electric car, and may have been chilled. 
Stayed a few days after his return on Curtis Terrace, Morningside, before 
the house here was settled. Had headache for two or three days before the 
onset of fever, on September 9. Vomiting for two days and delirium. Con- 
stipated. On September 10, paralysis of both leg's and both arms. Still un- 
able to use legs; arms much improved (December 2). About the middle of 
November had severe choking attack, of half hour's duration. 

Attended Orchard Street School, grade 5. 



57 



Case 46. 

C. W. N., thirty-five years, 85 Maplewood Avenue, Pittsfield. Dr. A. C. 
England, Pittsfield. Was in Albany on October S, marching with the militia 
at the Hudson-Fulton celebration. That evening he stumbled on the street, 
but did not fall. There was immediately a severe pain in the left leg and 
shin, so that he had difficulty in returning to Pittsfield. Fever and pain 
continued in the leg for one week. Redness appeared over the tibia, sug- 
gesting periostitis. A low leucocyte count prevented operative treatment. 
With the development of paralysis in the left leg on October 15, the acute 
symptoms abated. 

The man is a plumbing contractor, with business largely in the shop and 
office. There is history of contact with an old case of two or more years' 
standing. 

Case 47. 

H. C, nineteen years, 350 Wahconah Street, Pittsfield. Dr. J. A. Langlois, 
Pittsfield. Suddenly, on arising on morning of October 27, found he could 
not use the left leg as usual. Fell two or three times attempting to get about 
the house. Unable to raise toes. Returned to work in draughting department 
at Stanley shops after two days. Walked by raising the left foot high enough 
so as not to strike the toes. 

Two other children in the family, 1 in business college, 1 in first year at 
high school. A case of two years' standing or more in a neighboring French 
family. 

Case 48. 

W. H. W., nineteen years, Richmond. Dr. W. W. Leavitt, Pittsfield. 
Had been working for two months on a farm in West Stockbridge at the time 
illness began. He had been ploughing for three days, when on October 28 
he had backache, gradually increasing in severity during the day. He also 
had moderate fever, headache and some stiffness in the neck. On the follow- 
ing day there was paralysis of both legs, and inability to void urine. He 
was also unable to retain an enema. On this day he was removed to his own 
home in Richmond. He was stung once or twice by yellow jackets before 
he was taken ill. 

An intimate chum of his had an attack of this same trouble two years 
ago. They were last together on October 18. 

Summary, Lee, Lenox and Stockbridge. 
There were 2 cases in Lee, 1 on October 3 (49), in Sonth Lee, a fatal 
case, and the other in Lee a month later, on November 4 (50). The 
history of these cases does not disclose any possible contact with other 
cases. 

There were 6 cases in Lenox. Isolated cases occurred April 12 (case 



58 

51) and June 23 (case 52), at a time when hardly another case was 
known in the county. 

On September 22 occurred another case (53). This child, at school 
during June, played with case 51, ill in April, and just recently, since 
the opening of the schools, walking to school, had been in contact more or 
less with a sister of case 52 (ill in June). 

Case 55, October 1, is apparently an isolated case, that of a two-year- 
old infant, living in the country, at Isew Lenox. During August the 
infant was with its mother in Pittsfield for one day. There was no 
known contact with other cases. This case is close to the electric railway, 
also near the railroad. 

The 2 remaining cases, 56, October 17, and 57, November 15, are 
situated near the electric and steam car lines, near the Valley Paper Mill, 
at Lenox station and Lenoxdale, respectively. 

The mother of the latter patient visited the preceding case, held the 
baby who was ill and kissed it, about a month before her own child de- 
veloped the disease. The mother's sister, aunt of the latter case (57) 
acted as nurse for the preceding case (56), and during the time that she 
was so engaged she visited in the home of this patient at least once after 
the visit of the mother, above mentioned. This would seem to account 
for the infection of the second ease. 

Case 58 and case 59, brother and sister, in Stockbridge, were taken ill 
on the same day, October 10. 

Two days previously the sister went with her parents to Albany and 
return, by automobile. On October 9 there was some malaise, and on the 
10th she was taken ill, almost at the same hour as her younger brother. 

She speedily recovered after five days in bed, and may possibly be 
regarded as an abortive case. 

Aside from possible contact with a case in Stockbridge of two or three 
years' standing, there was no known contact, direct or indirect, with 
other cases. 

Case 49. 
I. V., nine years, South Lee. Dr. Markham, Lee. Ill October 3, with fe^ er 
and pain in the back. Later there was pain in the neck, arms and legs. On 
the third and fourth day there was vomiting. Bowels constipated. On Octo- 
ber 8 the paralysis appeared in the right leg, then in the left leg; and on 
the following day in the left arm, then in the right arm. Later in the day 
the patient died, with paralysis of respiration, the throat muscles being 
involved also. 

There are 3 other children in the family. After the first three or four 
days they were kept apart from the patient. The children attended school 
in South Lee. This was the only case in South Lee. 



59 



Case 50. 

J. B., eight years, 34 Prospect Street, Lee. Dr. J. J. Hassett, Lee. On 
November 4 had fever, headache and vomiting, also some diarrhoea. On No- 
vember 6 occurred paralysis of the right arm and forearm. Pain and tender- 
ness in the arm became very severe on November 8. 

Patient attended the parochial school. Five other children in the family. 
This was the second of the 2 cases in Lee, and was in no way connected with 
the former. No known contact, direct or indirect, in either of the cases. 

Case 51. 

P. J., five years, Fairview, Lenox. Dr. Hale, Lenox. This is ap- 
parently an isolated case, occurring in the central portion of the town early 
in April. There may have been some exposure to cold a few nights before 
while watching a large fire. About April 12, fever began. About April 26, 
when paralysis of both legs occurred, the flesh was sore to the touch, the 
bones ached, the boy was listless and wanted to be held. Diarrhoea was 
present early. 

A sister, eleven years, in the family. No known contact with other cases. 

Case 52. 

W. K., three years, Depot Street, Lenox. Dr. F. A. Roberts, Pittsfield. 
This, the second case in Lenox, also appears to be an isolated case. On 
May 29 mother thought the child was about to have a convulsion. On fol- 
lowing day mouth and throat were sore. On June 2, the glands in the neck 
were swollen and so continued for two days. The first symptom of paraly- 
sis noted was on June 23, when the child began talking through the nose. 
Dr. Hale was called and thought of adenoids. On June 25 or 26, paralysis 
appeared in both arms and both legs. He was also unable to hold his head 
up. 

Three other children in the family. No school at this season. 

Case 53. 

E. M., twelve years, Cliffwood Street, Lenox. Dr. A. C. England, Pitts- 
feld. On September 22, had fever and some pain and tenderness in the 
right leg, which became paralyzed on the evening of the same day. 

Patient attended the Center School, and played with case 51 (April) in 
June, and just recently walked to school with a sister of the preceding 
ease (52, June 29). No other contact known. 

Case 54. 
E. H., Dr. J. J. Hassett, Lee. This case omitted from the summary, 
because it is now said to be a ease of hip disease (Feb. 10, 1910). 



60 



Case 55. 

E. P., two years, New Lenox. Dr. I. S. F. Dodd, Pittsfield. An isolated 
ease in the country, near an electric car line. In August the child was one 
day in Pittsfield with its mother. October 1, some pain in the head, face, 
and on October 2, paralysis of both legs, slight in the left. Constipated. 

Two other children in the family; 1 in school. 

Case 56. 

J. T. C, eighteen months, Valley Mill, near Lenox station. Dr. J. J. 
Hassett, Lee. An isolated case near the electric and steam railways. Fever 
appeared on October 17. On following day was paralyzed in both legs. 
There was constipation, and some pain in the left leg, which was the worse. 

An only child. No other case near except the following (case 57). 

Case 57. 

G. L., two years, Lenoxdale. Dr. J. J. Hassett, Lee. Fever up to 102.5° 
on November 16. On following day pain in the back and paralysis in both 
legs. Constipation. Mild case. 

An only child. On line of electric and steam cars. The child's mother 
visited the preceding case (56) at Lenox station, held and kissed the baby, 
who was then ill, about a month before her own baby developed the disease. 
This baby's aunt, who assisted in caring for the C. baby (case 56), was also 
here at least once during her stay at the child's home. This is the only 
known contact with other cases. 

Case 58. 

L. B., two and a half years, Stockbridge. Dr. J. R. Hobbie, North Adams. 
Taken ill on October 10, with fever and considerable pain, apparently due 
to retention of urine, which continued for forty-eight hours. There was some 
retraction of the head. Constipation. On October 12 there was paralysis 
of the right leg. 

A brother of case 59. 

Case 59. 

A girl, B., eight years, Stockbridge. Dr. J. R. Hobbie, North Adams. On 
October 8 went with her parents in an automobile to Albany to see the 
Hudson-Fulton celebration. They returned the same day. On the following 
day she did not feel well. On the 10th of October, almost at the same hour 
as her brother, she had fever, and felt as if she could not move. Her head 
was retracted somewhat. She was in bed for five days, for two days was 
unable to move her legs. She- recovered speedily. 

There is in the same town a case of two or three years' standing, with 
which there mav have been some contact. 



61 



Summary, Great Barrington and Vicinity. 

In this group were 23 cases. 

The first cases occurred in the country, near each other, on August 11 
(case 80) and August 20 (case 81) in Sheffield and Egremont, respec- 
tively. 

The 19 cases in Great Barrington occurred during September and the 
first week in October. 

Two cases in Austerlitz, N. Y., included in this group, occurred on 
September 28. 

In 18 cases there was paralysis. 

Of the 5 cases which did not have paralysis, 3 were abortive (62, 69, 
79), and 2 had paresis of both legs (70, 71). 

Nearly all of the cases in Great Barrington (16 out of 19) are located 
immediately upon or quite near the Housatonic Eiver, 4 being on the 
west and 15 on the east side of the river. 

The 4 cases on the west side of the river, 64, 68, 69 and 71, on Sep- 
tember 19, 22, 24 and 25, respectively, are well scattered. 

These cases seem to have had no association with each other in any 
known manner, unless the possible indirect contact between case 68 
(September 22), who was a first-year student in the high school, and 
case 69 (September 24), whose brother was in the eighth grade in the 
same building, be considered. Case 64 (September 19) was an only 
child, who had not been in school during the current school year. 

This last case, and case 71 (September 25), had possible contact with 
cases on the opposite side of the river, as will appear later. 

On the east side of the river were 15 cases, 10 of which were located 
on East Street and Avery Lane, practically a continuation of East Street. 
The 5 remaining cases were on cross streets near East Street. 

From three households where were cases (61, 70, 72) ; no members at- 
tended school. 

Cases 61 (September 8) and 72 (September 25) lived in adjoining 
houses some 200 feet apart, at the south end of East Street. There was 
more or less indirect contact between these 2 cases, because the second 
case visited the neighbor's child after it was ill, but she did not go into the 
house, though her sister did go into the house and assisted at times in 
caring for the first patient. 

The source of infection for case 61 is not evident, though for one or 
two unlikely possibilities reference is made to the special notes on the 
case. 

Case 70 (September 14) was an only child of three and one-half years, 
daughter of the man for whom case 72 worked as bookkeeper. It was 



62 

said that the latter had visited and held this child after it was ill, but 
this statement could not be verified. This child played much with a 
neighbors children, one of whom attended the Bryant School, grade 2. 
There were no cases in this school. 

Case 67 (September 2.2) was employed in a cotton mill, where were 
no other cases. A sister attended the eighth grade at the high school 
building, where the brother of case 69 also attended, with case 68 in the 
first year of the high school. There is no history, however, of any ac- 
quaintance or association other than the most casual between the one 
patient and the members of the other two households. 

The group of cases (5) in Avery Lane, at the northerly part of the 
district, might readily be considered as contact cases, from association 
with each other, due to proximity, but further study of the matter makes 
it probable that they belong to a larger group, associated somewhat 
loosely with the Justin Dewey School. 

To this group belong the 11 remaining cases on the east side of the 
river and cases 64 and 71 on the west side of the river. The details are 
as follows : — 

The schools opened on September 7, and sessions continued through 
Friday, September 24, when a recess was taken for a week, on account 
of the Great Barrington fair. School work was resumed on Monday, 
October 4. 

Whenever school is mentioned below, it refers to the Justin Dewey 
School. 

Case 60 (September 3) did not attend school, but a brother regularly 
attended the fifth grade, while a brother and sister attended the fourth 
grade regularly. 

Case 62 f an abortive case, taken ill on September 16, attended schoo], 
grade 2, on September 7 and 8. She was then out till October 18. A 
sister attended the eighth grade regularly. 

Case 63, a brother of the foregoing, became ill on September 23. These 
two children slept in the same bed with the mother, and the brother, who 
was four years of age, probably received his infection from the sister. 

Case 63 A (September 16) did not attend school, but two sisters did, 
one in the third grade and one in the second grade, and they were 
regularly present from the opening of the session on September 7. There 
was also contact with case 60, because the families lived in closely ad- 
joining houses, and the children played together considerably. 

The teacher in grade 3 is an aunt of case 64, September 19, and is 
accustomed to seeing her niece (case 64) frequently. 

Case 65 (September 20) attended grade 3 till September 22. 

Case 66 (September 20), an infant, had a brother who attended grade 
3 regularly. 



DEWEY SCHOOL CASES, 1909. 



Red lines, patient attended school. 

Black lines, others in family attended school. 





Date. 


Case 
No. 


Adjoining f 
houses, J J5e P t - 
close con- ] Sept. 
tact. 1 


3 
16 


60 
63A 


Same 
family. 


J Sept. 
( Sept. 


16 
23 


62 
63 




Sept. 


19 


64 




Sept. 


•20 


65 




Sept. 


•2(1 


66 




Sept. 


•25 


71 




Sept. 


•2.-) 


73 




Sept. 


•2.-1 


74 



Same t Oct. 2 75 
family. I Oct. 6 76 

Oct. 7 77 




Grades. Cases. 



2 63, 62, 63A, 

74, 76. 



3 63A, 64, 65, 
66. 



4 60,74. 



5 50. 



6 73,76,77. 



8 62. 









63 

Case 71 (September 25) attended grade 2 till September 24. 

A boy in the family of case 73 (September 25) regularly attended 
grade 6. 

Case 74 (September 25) attended grade 4 regularly till September 24. 
He returned to school October 19. A brother of this patient attended 
grade 2 regularly. 

Case 75 (October 2) had a brother, case 76 (October 6), who was in 
school October 4 and 5 after the recess for the fair. Another child, of 
whom there are 12 in this family, attended the sixth grade regularly. 

A sister of case 77 (October 7) attended grade 6 regularly. 

Thus between September 16 and October 7, 13 cases are associated 
directly or indirectly with the Justin Dewey School. 

The diagram illustrates the distribution of the cases. 

The 23 cases were cared for by four physicians. One physician had 10 
cases, one 8, one 3 and one 2 cases. 

Three of the physicians have families and children. There were no 
cases in physicians' families. 

The physician who had 10 cases, after being called to his first patient, 
visited two families where infantile paralysis occurred subsequently. 
These calls were on chronic cases of other illness, and he did not come in 
close contact, if, indeed, he even saw those who had anterior polio- 
myelitis later. Further, in each of these two instances there were other 
possibilities of direct contact with other cases of the disease. 

Another physician, who between September 19 and 29 saw 8 cases, 
had not been in any of the homes in question for a considerable period 
until called for the present illness. 

Only 3 of the cases are on the line of the electric railway or the route 
taken by automobiles in passing through the town, though 5 other cases 
are quite near. 

Only 1 case is close to the line of the railroad. 

Case 60. 

E. C, six years, East Street, corner Cottage Street, Great Barrington. Dr. 
M. T. Cavanaugh, Main Street, Great Barrington. On September 2 was 
observed to limp slightly when walking. On the following day had fever 
(100° to 102°), vomiting, and pain in leg and knee. On September 6 there 
was paralysis of the left leg. 

There are 5 other children in the family. This child attends the Dewey 
School, grade 2, though he did not enter this year until October 18. Two or 
three of the other children attend the same school, up to the fifth or sixth 
grade. J. in the fifth. Father is a lineman for the Great Barring-ton Elec- 
tric Light Company. 



64 



Case 61. 

M. F., two years, 215 East Street, Great Barrington. Dr. M. T. Cavanaugh, 
Main Street, Great Barrington. Fever (102°) began on September 8, ac- 
companied by some delirium; would not stay in bed; once fell to floor. A 
week later, on September 15, there was paralysis of both legs, left arm and 
left face. There was some retention of urine for nearly twenty-four hours. 
No evidence of paralysis now present (November 3). One other child, of 
four years of age, occupied the same bed with the patient throughout the 
whole illness, and still continues to do so. 

The F. case (72, September 25) lives a short distance away in the adjoining- 
house. 

The Sheffield case (80, August 11) is a cousin of this boy's mother, but 
there had been no communication between the families for a long period 
prior to this child's illness. 

A cousin's child on the father's side had an attack of this same disease 
in Sharon, Conn., early in the spring. Between these families there is a 
regular exchange of letters, with which this baby may have played. 

Case 62. 

E. 0., seven years, 72 State Road, Great Barrington. Dr. M. T. Cava- 
naugh, Main Street, Great Barrington. Taken ill on September 16, with 
fever, headache, pain in back of neck, lower part of back and leg ache. 
Slight sore throat. Pain in legs and ankles continued for two or three days. 
Well since.. 

Attended Dewey School, grade 2. Entered on September 7. Beginning 
September 9 was out continuously to October 4, when she returned to school. 

Sister of case 63. 

Case 63. 

J. 0., four years, 72 State Road, Great Barrington. Dr. M. T. Cavanaugh, 
Main Street, Great Barrington. Taken ill with fever (104°), vomiting and 
pain between the shoulders on September 23. Constipated. On September 
26 or 27, paralysis of both legs. 

This child and sister, above mentioned, slept in the same bed with the 
mother. 

There are 2 older girls in the family who are not in school. 

Case 63 A. 
D. G.. four years, 6 Cottage Street Extension, Great Barrington. Dr. M. 
T. Cavanaugh, Main Street, Great Barrington. For two or three weeks be- 
fore onset of illness, on September 16, complained of feeling tired, especially 
in the legs, on walking. On or about September 16 had high fever, was dull 
and quiet, and wished to be let alone. There was pain under the left knee. 
About September 26 there was paralysis of the extensor muscles of the left 



65 

leg; patient could not straighten out the left leg. Later she was unable to 
stand on that leg for several weeks. Now (April 5, 1910) quite well, except 
that she has less endurance than before. 

Case 64. 

H. M., six years, 34 Castle Hill, Great Barrington. Dr. Bebee, Main 
Street, Great Barrington. One week before illness was operated on for 
adenoids and tonsils at home, by Dr. Blanchard of Pittsfield. Two days 
before had a slight fall, no ill effects so far as known. Taken ill with fever 
and vomiting; was dull and sleepy on September 19, and on the following 
day there was paralysis of the left leg, of mild degree. 

No other children in the family; not in school this year. 

An aunt, teacher in Justin Dewey School, grade 3, is a frequent visitor. 

Compare with case 78, last paragraph. 

Case 65. 

G. J. F., seven years, 41 Russell Street, Great Barrington. Dr. M. T. 
Cavanaugh, Main Street, Great Barrington. No previous illness, except that 
two weeks before did considerable running and racing at school. On Sep- 
tember 20, headache, also fever, which continued to September 26. From the 
21st to the 24th he was delirious. On September 22, vomiting and paralysis 
of both legs. Diarrhoea was present one day. Apparently recovered by 
October 11. 

No other children. Attended Dewey School, grade 3. Was out of school 
from September 22 to October 17, inclusive. 

Case 66. 

M. E. W., fourteen months, 63 East Street, Great Barrington. Dr. Bebee, 
Main Street, Great Barrington. Became ill with fever on September 20. 
Vomiting followed dose of castor oil. September 24 discovered that there 
was paralysis of both legs, the right more severely. 

An only child. No known contact with other cases. 

Case 67. 

H. D., sixteen years, 49 Cottage Street, Great Barrington. Dr. Bebee, 
Main Street, Great Barrington. On September 22, medium headache, loss 
of appetite, malaise and slight fever. Considerable pain in lumbar region 
and in legs. On September 25, 26 and 27, vomiting. On September 26, 
paralysis of right leg, and paralysis of left leg on September 28. 

Two other children in the family; none in school. This girl worked in the 
finishing room at the Edgemere Manufacturing Company (spreads). 

Case 68. 
D. B. R., fourteen years, 12 Barrington Place, Great Barrington. Dr. C. 
H. Chapin, Main Street, Great Barrington. On September 22, vomiting, 



66 

which continued all of the following day, when fever appeared (102° to 103°). 
On the evening of September 24 appeared paralysis of both sides of the face. 
On the 25th there was delirium, later dullness, gradually increasing till patient 
became comatose, death taking place on September 27. On September 25 
there was paralysis of the labio-glosso-pharyngeal muscles, so that the jaw 
dropped and he could not put it forward. During the last twenty-four hours 
there was incontinence of urine and feces. 

He was a first-year student in the high school, at Searles Building. Other 
children in family; none in school. 

Case 69. 

J. R., five years, 31 Dresser Avenue, Great Barring-ton. Dr. Bebee, Main 
Street, Great Barrington. On September 24, considerable fever. On 25th, 
headache, and on 26th gradually became completely unconscious, which con- 
dition lasted till the following day, nearly twenty-four hours in all. Rapid 
recovery followed. 

A brother attends the eighth grade at high school, Searles Building. Two 
other boys in the family. 

Compare cases 78 and 79. 

Case 70. 

A. H., three and a half years, 135 East Street, Great Barrington. Dr. Bebee, 
Main Street, Great Barrington. This child, with its mother, was in Pittsfield 
on July 4. About September 14, without initial fever, there was noticeable 
lameness of the left leg, followed by a similar lameness in the right leg. On 
September 18 there was tenderness about the neck and arms, later in the legs. 
On September 20 vomiting began, which continued through the following day. 

An only child. Played intimately with children on opposite side of the 
house, kissing the baby frequently. Case 72 (Sept. 25) was employed as 
bookkeeper by this child's father. No source of infection known. 

Case 71. 

G. B., seven years, 87 Railroad Avenue, Great Barrington. Dr. Bebee, 
Main Street, Great Barrington. Some fever and vomiting on September 25. 
Better the following day and went to church. On the 28th he went to the 
cattle show. On September 29, again had slight fever, headache and stomach 
ache. On September 30, paresis of right leg. 

Only child in family. Attended Dewey School, grade 2, till September 24. 
then out till October 26. At Dewey School in possible contact with cases 
60 and 76. 

Case 72. 

K. F., twenty-five years, 225 East Street, Great Barrington. Dr. M. T. 
Cavanaugh, Main Street, Great Barrington. On evening of September 25, 
vomiting. On 26th and 27th very nervous. On 2Sth seen by physician. 



67 

She had little or no fever. She was not seen on the 29th. On the 30th 
he found her sitting up, but in appearance severely ill, with an acute in- 
fection: the mouth was dry, there was sordes on the teeth. No fever. She 
could move the right leg with great difficulty only. Later, the right arm and 
the right leg were paralyzed. On October 1, delirium appeared and 
continued for three days. On October 4 was unable to articulate dis- 
tinctly, but the condition improved on the 5th and 6th. At that time 
(October 6) there was slight difficulty in swallowing, and on the night of 
the 6th of October patient died, with evidences of respiratory paralysis. 

Was said to have seen her employer's child (case 70, September 14) a few 
days before her own illness. This however, is said not to be so by the latter's 
family. She went also to the house of case 61, living in the next house, 
some distance away, but did not go in. Her sisters, however, did go in, and 
one of them helped care for the child and kissed him. The patient, however, 
had a room to herself. 

Case 73. 

H. C, fourteen months, 32 Avery Lane, Great Barrington. Dr. M. T. 
Cavanaugh, Main Street, Great Barrington. A mild case, taken ill on Sep- 
tember 25 or 26, with drowsiness and fever, pain in the legs. Previous to 
this time the baby crept and would take a few steps. With the onset as 
above described was unable to do either. On October 10, began again to 
creep slightly. 

Other children in family. One boy is in Dewey School, grade 6. Cases 
74 to 77, inclusive, in the immediate neighborhood. 

Case 74. 

H. H., ten and one-half years, 16 Avery Lane, Great Barrington. Dr. 
C. S. Chapin, Main Street, Great Barrington. Early in September had a 
slight headache and some fever for two days. On September 28, fever, 
with some delirium for the first night, headache, nausea and some soreness in 
lower part of back and right leg. On October 5, paralysis of right leg. 
Slight disturbance of left leg for one day. 

Attends the Dewey School, grade 4. Was out from September 24 to 
October 19, inclusive. A brother attends same school, grade 2, and had no 
absences. Cases 73 and 75 to 77, inclusive, in the immediate neighborhood. 

Case 75. 
E. C. twenty months, 29 Avery Lane, Great Barrington. Dr. M. T. 
Cavanaugh, Main Street, Great Barrington. On October 2 walked poorly. 
On October 4, fever, pain in lower back and right leg and vomiting. On 
October 5, paralysis of right leg. Brother of the following case. 



68 



Case 76. 

J. C, seven years, 29 Avery Lane, Great Barrington. Dr. M. T. Cavanaugh, 
Main Street, Great Barrington. On October 6, severe headache, vomiting 
and delirium at night. Fever, 103°. Some pain about the face and in the 
legs. On October 8, paralysis of right side of face. 

Brother of the foregoing case. 

Attended school at Dewey School, grade 2. Another brother attended same 
school, grade 6. This brother was regularly in school. The patient attended 
from the beginning of the term till the vacation for the fair, on September 
24, with the exception of September 22. He was in school October 4 and 5, 
leaving on October 6. There are 11 other children in the family, 12 in alL 
In close contact with other Avery Lane cases. 

Case 77. 

M. 0., two and a half years, 26 Avery Lane, Great Barrington. Dr. C. S. 
Chapin, Main Street, Great Barrington. Fever, some headache, delirium, 
beginning on October 7. Moderate retraction of head, and pain in right leg. 
Vomiting. On October 11, paralysis of right leg. 

Sister attends Dewey School, grade 6. In contact .with cases 73 to 76, in- 
clusive, in same vicinity. 

Case 78. 

J. M., seven years, Austerlitz, N. Y. Dr. Bebee, Main Street, Great Bar- 
rington. This ease and following are here included because they were seen 
by Dr. Bebee, and because of the resemblance of this case, in some particulars, 
to case 69. On September 28 returned from school, feeling miserable. 
On 29th was drowsy, and on the 30th still more so, becoming unconscious on 
the following day; and on this same day he became paralyzed in both arms 
and both legs. The unconsciousness continued almost without interruption 
till October 5. 

He is a nephew of the domestic employed at the home of case 64 ( Sept. 19 ) 
in Great Barrington, but there was no visiting between the two places for 
a considerable time prior to the time case 64 became ill. Letters were received 
from the domestic telling of the ease in her employer's family. Neither did 
the aunt visit Austerlitz till considerably later. 

There was a second case, an abortive one, in the family, as follows : — 

Case 79. 

D. M., five years, Austerlitz, N. Y. Dr. Bebee, Main Street, Great Bar- 
rington. Brother of the foregoing. September 29, 30, and October 1, acted 
queerly, complained of being dizzy and unable to walk. Three days later was 
quite well again, and had no further trouble. 

In the western part of the town, without any known connection between 
them, through schools or otherwise, there were said to be 3 other cases, 2 of 
them in one family. This is a country town, with hardly a village or hamlet, 
the houses being considerably scattered. 



G9 



Case SO. 

G. D., twenty years, Sheffield, near Egremont line. Dr. A. T. Wakefield, 
Sheffield. About August 11, taken ill with fever, 100.5° to 102°, headache. 
Moderate retraction of head, pain and tenderness over lower dorsal and lum- 
bar regions. On August 14, paralysis of both legs, and paresis of right arm. 

No known contact with other cases. May have been in Great Barrington 
for a day previous to being ill, but at that time no cases in the town (Great 
Barrington). Lives on a farm, well isolated from any other case. Pre- 
vious to his illness was an intimate associate with the following case. 

Case 81. 
F. L., twenty-one years, Egremont, near Sheffield line. Dr. A. T. Wake- 
field, Sheffield. Was an intimate friend of the preceding case (80), though 
the date of the last contact between the two cannot now be established. On 
August 20, sudden headache, repeated vomiting, and fever, never over 101°. 
There was retraction of head, and considerable pain in back and legs. On 
August 21, paralysis of both legs, together with some disturbance of the 
arms and back. Retention of urine after first twenty-four hours. The 
paralysis increased, and on the morning of August 23 he died from paralysis 
of respiration. 

METHODS OF TREATMENT IN INFANTILE PARALYSIS. 1 



E. H. Bradford, M.D.; R. W. Lovett, M.D.; E. G. Brackett, M.D.; Augustus Thorn- 
dike, M.D.; Robert Soutter, M.D.; Robert B. Osgood, M.D. 



[Summarized by the Department of Orthopedic Surgery of the Harvard Medical School.] 



The purpose of this paper is to furnish to the practitioner, as far as is 
possible, a summarized guide in the treatment of poliomyelitis in its 
various stages of development. 

Especial attention has been recently called to the importance of this 
disease, but as the symptoms vary considerably in the course of the 
affection it is difficult to refer to a succinct statement, giving in brief 
the treatment needed in the different stages, which at present are under 
investigation by several special departments of medical study. 

Infantile paralysis may be divided into well-marked and characteristic 
periods, requiring different methods of treatment, as follows : — 

Stage of invasion; stage of recovery; stage of permanent paralysis 
and disability; stage of progressing deformity; stage of developed con- 
traction and deformity. 

The practitioner needs to be able to recognize the different stages of 
the affection, the prognosis with and without treatment, and the meas- 
ures to be employed at each period. 

i Reprinted from the " Boston Medical and Surgical Journal," June 30, 1910. 



70 



History. 

The affection described in this instance as infantile paralysis was first 
recognized and attributed to its proper cause by Heine in 1840, although 
mentioned by Underwood in 1784. A notable contribution was later 
made by Medin, who, in the Swedish epidemic of 1899, was able to study 
the acute stage. On the ground that two of these are the great contrib- 
utors to our knowledge of the disease, "Wickman advocates calling the 
disease the Heine-Medin disease. The name " anterior poliomyelitis " 
is pathologically less correct than the term " polio-myelo-encephalitis." 
The term " infantile paralysis " will be used here, as being, on the whole, 
the most familiar and the most simple. The objection to its use is 
that it implies that the disease affects only children, whereas adults are 
frequently affected in some epidemics. The name " infantile spinal 
paralysis " is advocated as being more exact than the term u infantile 
paralysis." The recognition of epidemics of infantile paralysis is of 
comparatively recent date. In 1841 Colmer, an American physician, 
described very briefly what was apparently an epidemic of 8 or 10 cases 
occurring in Louisiana, although he knew the facts only by hearsay and 
the authenticity of this epidemic is frequently denied. Bull, a Nor- 
wegian physician, in 1868 described, under the title of "meningitis 
spinalis acuta," an epidemic of 14 cases of what appears to have been 
anterior poliomyelitis. But Bergenholz, a Swede, writing in 1881, is 
generally credited with having been the first to recognize and describe 
such an epidemic with sufficient accuracy to make it acceptable. Since 
that time epidemics have been reported with increasing frequency. 
Our knowledge of the disease has been greatly increased in the last five 
years, the most important contributions being the monograph of Wick- 
man, published in 1908, dealing with clinical phenomena on a new and 
much more extended basis than ever before. The pathological phenomena 
have been greatly cleared up by the work of Harbitz and Scheele, and 
the infectious nature of the disease proved by the work of Flexner and 
Lewis. 

Frequency. 

There is a general impression that anterior poliomyelitis is becoming 
more frequent and has increased in various parts of the world in the 
last few years. But such a conclusion must be accepted with caution, 
because of the fact that of late it has been called to the attention of the 
profession and is much more frequently recognized than it was formerly. 
An illustration of this possible source of error is furnished by the in- 
creased number of cases of congenital dislocation of the hip brought 
to American surgical clinics after the visit of Professor Lorenz and 



71 



the attendant newspaper notoriety. For at least a year following this 
the number of cases of this deformity brought to the Boston Children's 
Hospital was such that had the affection been one open to such a sus- 
picion, the conclusion might have been formed that an epidemic of such 
cases existed in New England. 

Bearing this factor in mind, from a study of the literature the fol- 
lowing conclusions with regard to the increasing frequency of infantile 
paralysis seem justified : — 

1. That epidemics of infantile paralysis have very greatly increased 
in several parts of the world in the last five years in a measure not to 
be explained in any way by the increased interest in the disease. 

"2. That it is more prevalent in cold than in warm countries. 

3. That the northern part of the United States has suffered more 
than any part of the world. 

The study of the epidemics, reaching over a period of thirty years, 
has led, of course, to the knowledge of certain facts now embodied in 
our stock of knowledge with regard to the disease, but they have not 
given us the essential facts that we want to know; we do not know how 
the disease enters the body nor how to prevent or check its spread. 

It has been thought that the disease occurred most in dry seasons, 
and that dust must be taken into account; playing in fresh earth has 
been noted in children affected in some localities ; the food supply, 
fruit, milk and water, insects, vermin and wounds must all be regarded 
as possible sources of infection. Now that the infectious nature of the 
disease is established, our line of inquiry is narrowed and made more 
definite. "We must find out how the organism enters the body. 



Communica b ility. 
Wickman's conclusion is that practically every case has had contact 
with another (a) direct, (&) by healthy person, (c) by means of house. 
The following table shows the frequency of more than one case in a 
family : — 

627 houses, ...... 1 case. 



95 houses, . 
39 houses, . 
14 houses, . 

7 houses, . 

1 house, . 



2 cases. 

3 cases. 

4 cases. 

5 cases. 

6 cases, 



Bearing on the question of transmissibility, there are constant in- 
stances such as the following : — 

From a German village where there had been no case for ten years, 
the wife of a railroad official took two children to visit in a village where 



72 

the disease existed. Five days after their return both children developed 
infantile paralysis and one died. 

In a small German city there had been no case for many years. Two 
healthy women came from an infected village to visit. Eight days later 
a child of the house where they were staying developed infantile pa- 
ralysis. The healthy children of this house visited the school where the 
teacher's children lived. In a few days the teacher's child sickened with 
infantile paralysis. 

On the other hand, the disease is evidently not very transmissible. 
In the epidemic in the Deerfield valley, so carefully studied by Emerson, 
there were 67 cases. There were 166 other children in the families 
of those affected, and 86 other children known to be in intimate contact 
with the 67. Of the 253, 4 later developed the disease. 

Disease in Animals. 

Although a disease has been produced in animals which closely re- 
sembles infantile paralysis by various experimental methods, these need 
only to be mentioned, since infantile paralysis has been proved to be 
infectious and transmissible by inoculation. Experimental paralysis 
has been produced (a) by the injection into the lumbar arteries of dogs 
of finely divided powders; (b) by poisoning with the heavy metals (lead, 
etc) ; (c) by inoculation with various bacteria (colon bacillus, strepto- 
coccus, staphylococcus, etc.); (d) by the use of toxins; (e) in young 
laboratory animals it may occur spontaneously. 

In connection with epidemics of paralysis in human beings, disease 
and paralysis among the domestic animals of the vicinity have been fre- 
quently reported, but in the absence of definite data it is as yet impos- 
sible to state that the animal paralysis is of the same character as the 
human infantile paralysis. 

Infectious Character. 

Infantile paralysis is an infectious disease and can be transmitted to 
monkeys by inoculation with the emulsion of cord and brain tissue 
from human beings and from monkeys dying with the disease. 

Landsteiner and Popper produced the disease in two monkeys by 
intraperitoneal inoculation in 1908, but could not transmit it by sub- 
inoculation to a second series. 

Flexner and Lewis * produced the disease in monkeys by intracerebral 
inoculation in October, 1909, and carried subinoculations through many 
series by the same and by other methods. Cultural and microscopic 

i Journal American Medical Association, Nov. 13, 1909. 



73 

stud}- was negative. This demonstrated that the disease was caused by a 
living organism, and established beyond question the infectious nature 
of the disease. 

Romer, 1 Knopf elmacher, Strauss and Huntoon, 2 Leinei and \Yiesner, 
and Landsteiner and Levaditi 3 subsequently succeeded in causing the 
disease in monkeys. 

The virus is contained in the brain and spinal cord, the mucous 
membrane of the nasopharynx in infected lymph nodes, in the salivary 
glands, and, in the acute stage, in the cerebro-spinal fluid and the blood. 

The disease may be produced by intracerebral, intraperitoneal, sub- 
dural, intraneural, perineural and subcutaneous injections, and by 
implantation in the anterior chamber of the eye. The disease has been 
caused by the introduction of the virus into the stomach by means of 
a catheter, and into the intestines, the peristalsis being prevented by 
opium. 

The disease has also been caused by scarifying the nasal mucous 
membrane and rubbing the virus into the injured membrane (Flexner 
and Lewis) and through the sound membrane by Leiner and Wiesner. 4 

The latter also succeeded in producing it by inhalation of an emulsion 
containing the virus, and by implantation in the trachea. 

It would seem, therefore, as if the disease might, in human beings, 
enter through either the respiratory or digestive tract. 

All investigators who have discussed the matter agree that the in- 
tracranial route is the best for inoculation, parallel experiments having 
shown the marked superiority of the former (Leiner and Wiesner). 

Inoculations into horses, calves, goats, pigs, doves, sheep, rats, cats, 
rabbits, mice, chickens, guinea pigs and dogs have proved negative ex- 
cept for the results of Krause and Meineke, 5 who caused paralysis in 
rabbits by inoculation with similar material, but their results are not 
generally accepted by other observers as they are in contradiction to 
practically all other experimental work. 

The virus is filterable, which places the disease in the category with 
foot and mouth disease, pleuropneumonia, yellow fever and other diseases 
less well known. 

The virulence of an emulsion is not impaired by drying (seven days, 
Flexner) (nine days, L. and L.), by freezing, nor by suspension in 
glycerine, but it is injured by exposure to a temperature of 45° to 50° C. 
Emulsions of cord and brain from other diseases were inoculated into 
monkeys with no effect by Leiner and Wiesner (tuberculous meningitis, 
hydrocephalus, etc.). 

1 Munch. Med. Wochenschr., Dec. 7, 1909. « Wien. Med. Klin., 1909, xliv, 1671. 

2 New York Medical Journal, Jan. S, 1910. 5 Deutsch. Med. Wochenschr., Oct. 21, 1909. 

3 Compt. Rend. Soc de Biol., Dec. 3 and 24, 1909. 



That one attack of the disease confers immunity seems generally 
admitted. The serum of healthy monkeys does not immunize against 
an attack, but that of monkeys who have had the disease does antagonize 
the virus of subsequent inoculations (Eomer and Joseph). 

As to bacterial findings of previous authors, the latest investigations 
have been almost wholly negative, and, having found an invisible 
organism which causes the disease, the previous inconstant data with 
regard to bacteria may be disregarded for the present. Leiner and 
Wiesner withdrew fluid from the brain and cord in such conditions as 
tuberculous meningitis, hydrocephalus, etc., in three parts, and found 
in many cases that the first portion was contaminated by various cocci, 
while the second and third portions remained sterile, which suggests 
the ease by which contamination may occur. 

Stage of Incubation. 

The disease in monkeys possesses the same general characteristics as 
in children, and the pathological changes are practically identical. 
The monkeys seem to have less fever than children, but the mortality 
is higher. The stage of incubation is from six to upwards of thirty 
days. 

The period of incubation in human beings is not clearly known, but 
is generally stated as being from one to fourteen days. 

Symptoms. 

The occurrence and symptoms can only be mentioned here in the 
briefest possible way. 

The disease ordinarily has an acute febrile onset, frequently with sore 
throat or digestive disturbance, and in this stage the diagnosis is rarely 
made. Again, occasionally the onset may be absent. Tenderness is a 
frequent and highly important symptom, and profuse sweating has 
lately been called to our attention as a prominent early symptom. 
Paralysis is generally noticed in from one to seven days after the acute 
attack, but may occur almost at once. 

Suspicious early symptoms are profuse sweating, hyperesthesia of the 
body and pain in moving, especially in the neck and back. 

Wickman has divided the disease into eight types, a matter which 
is of much value in formulating and recognizing the disease. These 
are: — 

1. Spinal Poliomyetic Form. — This is the recognized type described 
in the text-books, where a sudden febrile onset is followed by a paralysis 
of one or more limbs. 

2. The Ascending Form. — In this type the paralysis ascends perhaps 



75 

to the thorax, often causing death by involvement of respiration. This 
covers many cases at least of so-called Landry's paralysis, the true 
nature of which may be recognized in adults, while in children the course 
of the affection cannot so well be followed. Most fatal cases belong to 
this type. 

3. The Bulbar or Pontine Form. — Here there is involvement of the 
cranial nerves, most often the facial, hypoglossal and ocular, and there 
may be involvement of the throat and larynx. This type may exist alone 
or in connection with paralysis of the extremities. 

4. The Cerebral or Encephalitic Form. — Although Wickman saw no 
case of this type personally in the large Swedish epidemic investigated 
by him, he heard of cases and collected others where a hemiplegia or 
spastic paralysis arose under circumstances suggesting that the cerebral 
lesion was really infantile paralysis. He concludes that the cerebral 
form may exist alone or in connection with spinal involvement, but this 
type cannot be regarded as satisfactorily established. 

5. The Ataxic Form. — A disturbance of motion, not necessarily 
a pure ataxia, much like Friedrich's ataxia, may result from infantile 
paralysis. The seat of this ataxia may be in a lesion of the cerebellum, 
the middle brain or the bulbar portion, or it may be spinal. 

6. The Polyneuritic Form. — This is characterized by points of pain 
and tenderness, and the diagnosis is frequently difficult from polyneuri- 
tis. The diagnosis of this form is not very clearly given, but the type 
is established by autopsy findings. 

7. Meningitic Form. — Pain and stiffness in the neck, perhaps 
opisthotonos and meningeal symptoms, characterize this form. It is 
frequently confused with cerebro-spinal meningitis, which Wickman 
believes, after a long consideration of the evidence, to be a separate form 
of the disease. 

8. Abortive Form. — In localities where infantile paralysis prevails 
occur many cases, often in the same families, where fever, headache, 
stiffness of the neck and general disturbance are present, but where the 
paralysis is slight and transitory or does not occur at all. 

This form is of great importance as forming a probable link in the 
transmission of the affection. From the study of 157 abortive cases 
Wickman divides them as follows: — 

(1) General infection. 

(2) Symptoms of meningeal irritation. 

(3) Cases with much pain, like influenza. 

(4) Cases with marked digestive disturbance. 



76 



Diagnosis. 

The diagnosis of the affection is rarely made before the paralysis occurs, 
nor is the possibility of the presence of the disease so often remembered 
as would seem advisable. 

The diagnosis in the earliest stage must now be made by exclusion, for 
we have no positive signs at present, although recent laboratory data 
offer the hope that by means of examination of the blood and cerebro- 
spinal fluid a diagnosis may be possible in the stage preceding the pa- 
ralysis. 

The spinal fluid contains no organisms as yet recognized by the best 
observers, and those who find organisms do not find the same one. 

The withdrawal of spinal fluid may be of diagnostic service, however. 
It may show the presence of tuberculous or cerebro-spinal meningitis, 
the diagnosis of which from infantile paralysis is not always easy. Cer- 
tain important points may be mentioned as bearing 021 the diagnosis. 
The disease occurs oftenest in the late summer; it is epidemic in many 
localities; it affects most often children in the first dentition; the onset 
is a febrile attack, with most often excess of pain, sweating and often 
drowsiness. The throat or intestinal tract are frequently involved. 
Meningeal symptoms in any degree are very suspicious. Tenderness of 
the spine, body or limbs should awaken suspicions at once. 

If these facts are borne in mind, many more early diagnoses can be 
made. There is no criterion for the diagnosis of abortive cases, nor can 
the diagnosis in any case as yet surely be made in the absence of pa- 
ralysis. 

In many instances the prodromal stage of general indisposition is 
slight and the affection is treated by cathartics or a febrifuge or disre- 
garded. In some instances severe pain referred to certain regions is 
observed, and the affection is regarded as rheumatism, peritonitis, 
pleurisy, etc., and if cerebral symptoms are present, cerebro-spinal men- 
ingitis is suspected. 

Where motor paralysis is present, the sudden onset, the absence of 
reflexes, the progress of muscular flaccidity, surface coldness, the absence 
of sensory paralyses, with or without a short period of pain, followed by 
muscular atrophy, combine to form a characteristic group of symptoms, 
making the diagnosis an easy one. 

In the later stages of infantile paralysis, when contractions and de- 
formity are present, there is, as a rule, no difficulty in recognizing the 
disease, as the history of the case, the flaccidity and atrophy of certain 
muscles, with the presence of normal sensations, are sufficient to estab- 
lish the diagnosis. 



77 

Cases of hysterical paralysis may simulate poliomyelitis, but the symp- 
toms in purely functional cases do not group themselves usually in a 
manner typical of infantile paralysis. 

Prognosis in Untreated Cases. 

It is extremely difficult for a physician in examining a case in the 
earlv stages of its development to estimate the outcome of the attack. 
As a rule, the painful stage is brief, lasting but a few days, and at 
most not longer than a few weeks. Spontaneous recovery of great im- 
provement can be expected in all but the fatal cases. The recovery is 
gradual, and may be expected to continue during six months or a year 
after the attack of the paralysis. Even later the improvement in the 
functional activity of the affected limb may occur following the use of 
the affected limb. 

An exact determination of the extent of the paralysis by examining 
the electrical reaction is difficult in young children, and, for this reason, 
often impracticable. The surface temperature, that is, coldness of the 
limb or region, to the touch, offers a ready means of estimating the ex- 
tent of the region involved. 

Treatment. 
The consideration of the treatment of anterior poliomyelitis may be 
divided into that of the affection during three stages; i.e., (1) the 
early stage of acute onset and fever; (2) the subacute stage; and (3) 
the stage of established paralysis and convalescence. 

Treatment of the First Stage. 

The early stage of acute onset and fever extends from the first ap- 
pearance of the symptoms indicating the infection until the entire 
subsidence of the fever and acute pain. The duration of this stage 
necessarily varies. The symptoms demanding attention in this period 
are the preliminary chill, fever (with or without delirium), pain and 
marked sensitiveness. 

These suggest at the onset the general treatment used in all febrile 
attacks, — mild cathartics if digestive disturbances are present, and rest. 

1. Rest. — The question of rest is one which largely settles itself, 
since the acuteness of the symptoms demands the utmost quiet. In the 
early stage there is fever, possibly delirium, and marked depression, all 
of which are found in varying degrees of intensity. Attending these is 
marked sensitiveness to all motion, which demands that the patient be 
kept in the utmost quiet. When sensitiveness is not prominent, and does 
not of itself demand quiet, it is wise to enforce this during the early 
stage. 



78 

2. Drugs. — The drugs to be considered in this early stage are: (a) 
antipyretics; (b) sedatives and analgesics; (c) internal antiseptics; 
(d) nerve stimulants; (e) external applications. 

(a) The use of antipyretics, except as perhaps temporary expedients 
with very high and early temperature, is not advisable, owing to their 
depressing action. 

(b) Sedatives and analgesics, and drugs of this class, may be dis- 
tinctly indicated in the early stages in more severe cases, especially those 
presenting delirium or excessive spinal and occipital pain. Owing to 
the rather depressing effect of sedatives, it is wiser to use analgesics, 
either codeia or morphia, if they are distinctly necessary, but it is well 
to enforce the necessity of the avoidance of all drugs of this kind when- 
ever possible. 

(c) Internal antiseptics. The use of the internal antiseptics in this 
class of cases must be at present considered to be in the trial stage. It 
is well proven that drugs such as urotropin, cystogen, aminoform, 
formin, etc., are internal antiseptics, and that their action is demonstrable 
in the excreta, in the blood and in some of the tissues. Their usefulness 
has been proven in some cases of infection. Their trial, therefore, is 
to be advocated as early as it may be possible to feel confident of the 
probable diagnosis. 

(d) Nerve stimulants. Nerve stimulants, chief among these being 
strychnia, should be avoided during this acute stage. 

(e) External applications, such as physical therapeutics and hydro- 
therapeutics, are of doubtful usefulness in this early stage, and are liable 
to disturb the rest which is so strongly indicated at this time. The 
use of electricity in this stage is to be carefully avoided. 

3. Lumbar Puncture is not advisable either for diagnostic or therapeu- 
tic purposes with our present knowledge, although it is not improbable 
that in the future the method may have its use. 

The Treatment of the Second Stage. 
The second stage may be considered as extending from the end of 
the first period of onset to the time of the disappearance of all sensi- 
tiveness, fever and nerve tenderness. This stage will vary much in dura- 
tion, and usually does not extend over a period of more than three to 
four weeks, or less, but is occasionally prolonged to five or six weeks. 
In this stage the fever and early pain have entirely subsided, but there 
is frequently left sensitiveness along the nerve trunks, pain, motion of 
the limbs and sometimes of the back. There may also be found con- 
traction of the limbs, mainly of the hips and knees, due to the persistence 
of sensitiveness, which does not allow the limbs to be brought into the 



79 

straight and normal positions. The patient should be kept from un- 
necessary movement and should be moved on pillows or bed frames when 
practicable. There is often more or less exhaustion following the early 
fever and infection, and in such cases stimulation of the general con- 
dition is indicated. 

It is important in this stage to prevent the overstretching of paralyzed 
muscles, either from pressure of bed clothes, position of decubitus or 
force of gravity, or the unantagonized pull of the sound muscles. De- 
formities of position may be developed even in this stage, and, although 
not necessarily permanent, add much to the discomfort in the later 
correction. These are to be guarded against and prevented unless the 
appropriate measure gives actual pain. Splints or a weight pull are 
rarely necessary for retention in this early period, but the position can 
be arranged by pillows, sandbags, cradles for the bedclothes, etc., to 
prevent the development of such. In many cases, however, the deformi- 
ties due to pain on moving limbs disappear on the subsidence of the pain. 
The application of heat, either a warm, moist or dry pack, or the electric 
pad, will often be found to relieve pain. Gentle massage is often difficult 
on account of the presence of pain, but may give relief if carefully ap- 
plied. 

Drugs are to be used with much discretion in this stage. 

The Treatment of the Third or Convalescent Stage. 
This stage can be considered to extend from the period of the entire 
disappearance of the sensitiveness and the contractions of the early 
irritant stages until the time that all potential power has been regained, 
or until the deformities require no further attention. The time in which 
it is possible for further increase of muscle power to be regained varies 
very decidely with different cases, but the time during which deformity 
requires attention cannot be considered to end until the full growth of 
the individual has been attained. Two special demands are important 
throughout this stage, and although intimately related are more prac- 
tically considered independently, both in their description and clinical 
manifestations. These two are : — 

1. The prevention of deformity. 

2. The regaining of nerve and muscle power. 

1. Prevention of Deformity. — Deformities which occur in the course 
of recovery from infantile paralysis are those of the limbs and those of the 
spine, a form of scoliosis. Deformities of the limbs from adaptive tissue 
changes are due either to the constant contraction of the unantagonized 
sound muscles, or else from faulty position, the paralyzed limb hanging 
unnaturally or bearing weight wrongly. From the maintenance of these 



80 

positions contractions occur which make permanent the deformities, 
and if these are allowed to continue during the child's growth, distortions 
in the shape of the bones occur as well as in the soft parts, which render 
the deformities still more permanent. It is especially needful that 
apparatus be employed in this stage for a twofold object, i.e., first, to 
prevent the overstretching of the paralyzed muscles during the early 
stages; and, second, to prevent the permanency of the deformities- 
mentioned. 

The need of the early detection of a faulty position of the spine and of 
early care in the prevention of scoliosis cannot be too strongly stated. 
On account of the general muscular weakness and of the unequal pull 
of the trunk muscles, the asymmetrical methods of walking and standing 
and the faulty superimposed weight, or the one-sided use of the arms in 
cases of paralysis of the upper extremity, all motions on the part of the 
patient tend to exaggerate the development of deformity when once under 
way. For this reason this form of scoliosis presents a most obstinate 
type for treatment, and as soon as there is any evidence of a beginning 
deformity of the spine every effort should be directed to check its de- 
velopment. 

2. The Regaining of Nerve and 'Muscle Power. — It is unfortunately 
a prevalent idea that recovered power is gained within the first few 
months of the convalescence, and that after this the child should not be 
burdened with special efforts directed toward developing individual 
muscles and nerves, the natural use of the regained muscles being suffi- 
cient to establish all the cure which is possible. This idea is particularly 
unfortunate, for the clinical facts prove the contrary. It is possible to 
gain a return of muscle power after a long period following the onset 
of disease, even when during the interval there has been no evidence of 
actual local return of power. It is very essential, therefore, that treat- 
ment directed to this end be carried out, not only in a most thorough 
manner, but also over an extended period. The indications during the 
early convalescent stage are two, viz., for : — 

(1) The stimulation of the nerves to prevent all possible degeneration 
until all possible repair has taken place ; and 

(2) Stimulation and protection of muscles to prevent atrophy and 
to keep the muscle in condition, that it may respond quickly when nerve 
impulses are restored. Incidental to this the all-important reason that 
it is essential that muscles be not allowed to be overstretched, but the 
parts be so held as to prevent deformity. This is easy and demands the 
application of the lightest form of braces or apparatus for this purpose, 
and not only prevents the overstretching of muscles, which is so essential, 
but also prevents the correction of unnecessary deformity in the later 
stages. 



81 

For stimulation of nerves and muscles the means to be employed 
are: — 

1. Electricity. 

2. Baking and different forms of high heat. 

3. Physical therapy (including mechanotherapy, hydrotherapy ami 
massage). 

4. Muscle training. 

The first three of these must be considered as means of artificially 
stimulating the parts by maintaining nutrition, with the exception, 
possibly, of the electricity. It is wise to have the different methods well 
in hand, because we have reason to believe that the effect of the differ- 
ent methods of artificial stimulation are not exactly the same, and it 
gives the opportunity of change from one form to another at different 
periods, both with the idea of rest to the patients and to obtain the differ- 
ent forms of stimulation as well. The lack of use, with its attendant 
sluggish circulation, if not counteracted, is a distinct obstacle to the 
proper nourishment of the part, and it is, therefore, necessary to use all 
methods which are possible to maintain this to the highest standard 
that is possible. 

1. Electricity. — The different forms which may be used for this are 
the galvanic, faradic, static and high-frequency currents. In the early 
stages galvanism should be used on the nerve trunks and f aradism on the 
muscles, so long as their irritability for contraction is maintained. When 
the irritability of contraction to the faradic is lost, galvanism should 
then be used, as having more influence on nutrition. With the returning 
muscle irritability, f aradism should be used, and best by the use of the 
electrodes over the muscle points so as to obtain actual contraction of 
muscles rather than by the application of the electrical current to broad 
surfaces. This serves as a distinct exercise to the muscle during its 
early stage of weak contraction. High-frequency and static electricity 
can both be used for their influence on nutrition rather than for their 
direct action on muscle contraction. It may be stated in this connection 
that the main dependence for actual results must be placed upon the 
galvanic and faradic currents. 

2. Baking and the Other Means of applying High Degrees of Heat. — 
Paralyzed limbs in these cases are almost always cold and the circula- 
tion distinctly defective. It is found after the use of baking and different 
methods of applying high degrees of heat that the extremities remain 
warm for a longer time; that the circulation is more active; the blush 
and the temperature remain higher for some time; and the patient is 
able to use the very weak muscles much better, and with better control, 
during the time that the limbs. remain warm. It is frequently found that 
after continued use of high degrees of heat this improvement of circu- 



82 

lation and the local heat of the limb become more and more perma- 
nent, frequently lasting for the larger part of the day or longer. It is 
essential that the baking should not be used in too high degrees (prob- 
ably not more than 250°) and not continued for too long a time (fif- 
teen to twenty minutes), the shorter application being quite sufficient 
to bring out the changes of circulation desired. 

3. Physical Therapy {including Mechanotherapy, Massage, etc.). — 
These constitute another means of artificial stimulation, both of nerve 
and muscle, particularly in their effect upon the circulatory changes. The 
physicotherapeutic methods are less generally applicable, demanding ap- 
paratus for their use, but massage, however, should be given the high- 
est place in all stages of this affection. In conjunction with massage, 
however, it is wise to reiterate the caution that it is necessary not to 
rely upon massage alone, but that this means should be regarded as an 
adjunct only to the other forms of muscle and nerve stimulation. Too 
frequently has it been remarked that massage alone is used to the neglect 
of many of the other means fully as important. 

4. Muscle Training. — Probably no other means at our disposal has 
a more important place or more extended usefulness, both in the variety 
of its application and in the length of time that it may be used, than the 
different methods which may be grouped under this head. It is ap- 
plicable as soon as any sign of returning power is found, and is best 
applied through the " assistive form " of exercise, which has the advant- 
age of allowing actual work to the muscle long before power is sufficient 
to give any practical result in movement. The difficulty with the usual 
forms of gymnastic exercise in these cases is that the stronger muscles 
receive the greater part of the exercise, while the weaker and most needy 
muscles receive but little. Most cases present so many individual needs 
that it is necessary to concentrate the work, and for this reason it is 
essential that the weaker muscles obtain all possible results from the 
means employed. Such is not possible when the patient is given the 
ordinary gymnastic exercise, relying upon the stronger muscles to bring 
about the movement and giving the weaker muscles the opportunity 
to participate in the movement. This method is applied in detail as 
follows : — 

The part to which the muscle belongs is put through passive movement, 
with slow rhythm, in the direction that is desired. The patient is then 
directed to make effort to move the part in the same direction to what- 
ever extent is possible, the assistant supplying the power needed to com- 
plete the actual motion. In this way the paralyzed muscle is allowed to 
contract in the same manner as if it were doing the whole of the work, 
and has the benefit of the contraction and of the movement during the 
whole arc of motion. As the muscle becomes stronger, the assistive force 



83 

supplied becomes less, so that the muscle is allowed to take up more of the 
work during the whole of the exercise, and receives the maximum amount 
of exercise possible to a muscle in its condition. In all the other forme 
of exercise one must be contented with the mere effort of the muscle to 
make contraction, without allowing contraction through a distinct arc 
of motion. 

In the treatment of cases of infantile paralysis at this stage it is diffi- 
cult to apply the needed remedies for a sufficiently long period to accom- 
plish the good which can be obtained. Patients remote from physicians' 
offices or hospitals equipped for special treatment cannot receive it 
satisfactorily. In most instances home nursing must be relied upon, and 
electricity crudely or infrequently applied is of no benefit. Under such 
circumstances the physician should direct his attention to enforcing, 
for a long period, such measures as can be used effectively, viz., hot-air, 
hot-water or hot-sand baths of the paralyzed limbs at frequent intervals, 
and passive and active movements of the limbs, improvement of the 
circulation by muscle kneading, and especially muscle training, continued 
daily for a long period. The aid of an expert is undoubtedly advisable, 
but the constant daily faithful work of home attendants is more beneficial 
than occasional treatment at infrequent intervals. 

Nerve Grafting. 
The success which has been obtained in a few instances of nerve 
grafting has been such as to encourage the belief that great relief could 
be furnished in confirmed paralysis from anterior poliomyelitis by this 
surgical procedure, but clinical evidence so far collected does not sub- 
stantiate such an opinion. The method may be regarded as still in tlie 
experimental stage, and at present it does offer much hope of relief, 
and the number of cases to which it is applicable is small. 

Mechanical Treatment. 
The objects of mechanical treatment for infantile paralysis are : — 

1. To correct the deformities of the limb. 

2. To prevent the development of new deformities. 

3. To aid locomotion by furnishing, through the mechanical stops 
and checks, a substitute for the action of muscles weakened or paralyzed 
by the disease. 

The number of types of appliances which can be derived is great. Those 
which are simple, light, easily designed and easily applied are to be 
preferred. Expensive, heavy and complicated forms of apparatus are 
undesirable. 



84 



Those which have been for many years used at the Boston Children's 
Hospital will be referred to in this report because, in design and con- 
struction, they are suited to the practice of any general practitioner 
who is ready to give personal attention to making, fitting and adjusting 
an appliance to prevent the development of deformity in his patient. 

Early Stage of Paralysis. 

Appliances for this stage should interfere with the circulation as little 
as possible, since it is desirable to develop the impaired nutrition and 
circulation, not to impede it. For this reason plaster bandages and 
splints tightly secured by a muslin bandage are less used than formerly. 

Toe-drop can easily be prevented while the child is in bed by fixing 
the limb on a simple posterior wire splint such as one uses for fractures 
(Kg- !)• 




B 
Fig. 1. — A. Wire splint for straightening contracted knee. 
B. For preventing drawing up of the knees and dropping 
the front of the foot. 

Iron wire three-sixteenths of an inch in diameter is stiff enough ; 
this is bent to the proper shape, thickly wound with cotton wadding, 
firmly covered with a roller bandage, and a cover of stout cotton cloth 
is sewed over it all. Sufficient padding is provided under the calf and 
under the sole of the foot to entirely remove pressure on the back of 
the heel; the leg and foot are fastened to the splint by adhesive plaster 
straps, applied so as to keep the axis of the foot at a right angle with 
the leg. 

If this splint be prolonged to reach the upper part of the thigh, and 
is made stiff enough, contraction of the knee can also be prevented. A 
roller bandage should only be used to make the adhesive plaster stick. 



85 



While this is sufficient during the stage when the patient is unable 
to stand, a stronger appliance is needed when he begins to walk. 

Splints for Walking. 

These splints are designed for two classes of cases, — those in which 

a flaccid paralysis is present in some of the muscles, and those where, 

in addition to the paralysis, a contraction and shortening has taken place 

in muscles which are not paralyzed but have lost their antagonists. 




Fig. 2. — Paralyzed child strapped in a walking frame 
wearing splints to prevent forward dropping of the 
knee. 



In the first class no stiffness or contraction is present, and splints may 
be needed to prevent (1) toe-drop; (2) dropping of the tarsus to the 
inner side; (3) dropping of the tarsus to the outer side; (4) walking on 
the heel, i.e., the equinus, valgus, varus or calcaneus positions of the foot ; 
and (5) to hold the knee straight in paralysis of the muscles of the 
front of the thigh. 



86 



For Flaccid Paralysis. 
Where no stiffness from contraction is present, this simple apparatus 
can be furnished to prevent toe-drop (Fig. 5). It is called a short 
caliper splint. It consists of two parts, the splint and the socket attached 
to the boot. 




Fig. 3/— Child walking with crutches and splints. 



The socket is made of a thin iron plate, made to fit under the heel 
and the shank of the child's boot, as far forward as the metatarso- 
phalangeal joint. The heel of the boot is first removed, and a deep 



87 

groove or socket is fashioned in the plate by forging, so that when it is 
applied to the boot it will receive at the heel the end of the upright, as 
if in a tube. A small spur piece, which is left projecting outside tho 
boot, is bent up after it is applied, so as to act as a stop, as shown in 
the illustration (Fig. 8), and the boot heel is reapplied. 

For the uprights the same sort of wire is used as for the posterior 
wire splint already described. At the top the wires are slightly flattened 
and attached to a thin metal calf-band fitted to the calf of the leg; at 
the bottom they are sharply bent inward at a right angle so as to fit in 
the socket. The uprights may follow the shape of the leg, or be left 
straight, provided they allow width enough so that the ankles do not 
touch them. 

This simple splint can be easily improvised with the help of a cobbler 
and a blacksmith or carriagesmith at very slight expense. It is held in 
place by a strap at the top and one around the ankle. 

Should the patient, instead of having toe-drop, have paralysis of the 
calf muscles, while the muscles of the front of the leg are strong, he 
will walk on his heel, with the front of the foot raised. In order to apply 
the sole of the boot to the ground, the same splint may be used to ad- 
vantage if the socket be made so that the stop comes in front of the 
upright instead of behind it. This is shown in Fig. 4, on the left leg. 

Should the child stand with the foot in the varus or club-foot position, 
a stout leather T strap should be added, which is sewed to the upper of 
the boot, just in front of the external malleolus; the horizontal arms 
buckle into each other and include the inner upright of the splint. 

Should, on the other hand, a pronated or valgus position appear in 
weight bearing, the T strap should be on the opposite side of the boot 
below the inner malleolus, and the arms strapped around the outer 
upright so as to maintain the arch of the foot by preventing the ankle 
from sagging inward (Fig. 7). These appliances are for flaccid joints 
only. 

Again, if, owing to paralysis of the muscles of the front of the thigh, 
the quadriceps extensor cruris, the child cannot hold the knee stiff in 
standing, then the caliper splint should be made to reach the upper 
third of the thigh and the knee be kept straight by a leather knee cap, 
as shown in Figs. -2, 3 and 4, which also show the method of teaching 
the child to walk stiff-kneed. 

For Paralysis with Slight Contractions. 
Any paralytic deformity in time develops contraction of the strong 
unaffected muscles. This is especially true if the calf muscles are not 
affected. 



88 



Equinus Deformity. 
In slight degrees, contraction of the short tendo Achilles can be over- 
come by stretching the muscles with a special splint in walking, if the 
heel can be held down firmly against a foot plate which extends well 
forward, while toe-drop is prevented by a stop in the ankle-joint of the 
upright (Fig. 5). At times it is hard to accomplish this because the 
heel refuses to stay down on the sole-plate, but it may be held there 
either by a strong ankle strap or by a strip of adhesive plaster attached 
to the skin of the calf of the leg above and to the lower surface of the 
sole-plate below. Such an apparatus can be worn inside of the boot. 
The correcting force is the body weight. This may be increased if the 
appliance be made long enough to reach to the upper thigh and prevent 
bending the knee. It can be worn day and night, and additional correc- 
tive force may be added by an elastic strap extending from the front of 
the sole-plate to a buckle on the upright near the knee. 

Varus with Slight Contraction. 
In paralytic varus deformity a thick leather wedge is pegged to the 
lower surface of the sole of the boot under the cuboid, so that the foot 
in walking strikes first on the heel, then on the wedge which projects 
more than the heel, and forces the foot to turn outward to prevent loss 
of balance, so that the foot at the end of a step, before leaving the ground, 
receives the body weight wholly on the abducted front portion. 

Valgus with Slight Contraction. 

In paralytic valgus deformity, when the contraction of the peronei 
muscles is slight, the position of the walking foot as it bears on the 
ground can be improved by supporting the sagging arch, both by an 
upright and T strap (Fig. 7), and by pegging a thick wedge of leather 
on the lower surface of the sole of the boot, extending forward along 
the inner side from the heel to the scaphoid, or under the first metatarsal, 
as the case may require. 

Calcaneus. 

In cases with slight contraction the position of the walking foot, as 
it strikes the ground, can be improved by prolonging the heel backwards 
(Fig. 8). 

Appliances to overcome Stronger Contractions. 

The above-mentioned appliances are only for slight contractions ; when 
firm contractures have developed, they are to be stretched or divided by 
an operation, under full anesthesia, either by manual force, tenotomy or 



89 

incision, as may be needed; but for a few mild cases the gradual cor- 
rections are sufficient which one obtains by plaster bandages or mechani- 
cal appliances. 




Fig. 4.— Side view of " caliper " splint, with knee strap and 
checks in the heel to prevent the dropping of the heel 
or front of the foot as may be needed. 

Plaster Bandages. 

Gradual correction by the frequently repeated application of plaster 

bandages is obtained by holding the limb in as corrected a position as 

possible while the plaster sets, without the aid of an anesthetic. It is 

effective in recent contractures in young children. The method has to 



90 



its disadvantage that both muscular atrophy and weakening of unde- 
stroyed muscles are favored by the prolonged use of stiff bandages ; there- 
fore this method should not be continued during a long period. 

The contractures which the surgeon has most frequently to overcome 
are those of the tendo Achilles, the ham-strings, the tensor vaginas 
femoris and fascia adjacent, the psoas and iliacus muscles; also contrac- 
tions of the tendons and fascia in the various paralytic deformities of 
the foot. These are caused partly by the shortening of unopposed 
muscles and partly by adaptive shortening or stretching of ligaments and 
fascia from habitually assumed positions of deformity, either on account 
of gravity or disturbed muscular balance. 




Fig. 5. 



Detail of wire splint, showing adjustment to the 
shoe, with check to prevent toe-drop. 



For the correction of contracted ankle, unless the equinus position 
yields readily to mechanical means, tenotomy of the tendo Achilles is 
decidedly preferable. 

For a contracted or flexed knee, mechanical measures are better 
adapted. If the type be mild it can be overcome by the application of a 
splint resembling both Thomas' knee splint and his caliper splint, already 
described, to which the limb can be bandaged in the manner shown in 
Fig. 6. The corrective pressure is obtained largely from the bandage 



01 



over the thigh and knee, which should he applied at least twice a day. 
This apparatus can also he used to walk with. If any form of acquired 
club-foot is combined with the contracted knee, it may be corrected 
simultaneously in the manner already described. 

For contractions of the hip-joint not severe enough to demand opera- 
tion, two common methods of correction are in use. 

1. By encasing in a plaster bandage the limb, with the knee straight, 
its weight may be utilized to stretch very gradually the contracted 
muscles and fascios of the hip; this may be done either while the child 
is walking about, or, preferably, while he is in bed, on a bed-frame. 
Sometimes a separate plaster jacket is required for these recumbent 
cases, to prevent lordosis of the lumbar spine. 




Fig. 6. — Apparatus to prevent toe-drop slip- 
ping in a socket at the heel. An ankle 
strap secures the leg. 



2. A direct pull or traction may be used, such as one would use to 
correct flexion in hip disease. The patient is then kept on a bed-frame 
with the pelvis fixed by extreme flexion of the unaffected thigh, and the 
paralyzed leg is elevated, and traction is applied in such a position that 
the line of pull coincides with the new direction of the femur; traction 
is first made in this direction, and from this position the limb is straight- 
ened very gradually day by day. 

All contractions at the hip may without doubt be overcome more 



92 



quickly by the use of the knife, with subsequent fixation, than by me- 
chanical means, but an objection is often encountered in children with 
extensive paralysis because there remains in the limb so little muscle 
power that any loss, whether from tenotomy, myotomy or prolonged 
use of plaster bandages, is risky, as every particle of muscle power must 
be treasured and developed to enable the child to stand upon his feet 
when the deformity is sufficiently reduced. 



Supports for the Trunk. 
Plaster jackets may be applied in several different ways, and when 
properly applied are efficient supports to the paralyzed trunk. They 
may also be used to straighten the abnormal twists and curves of the 
spine which develop as the result of poliomyelitic paralysis, and are then 
termed "corrective jackets." 





Fig. 7. — Apparatus similar to Fig. 6, with ankle strap to 
check paralytic valgus. If the upright is applied to 
the inside with the ankle strap applied to the outside 
a varus deformity is checked. 

Plaster jackets may be made removable by splitting down the front 
and sewing to each side of. the border a strip of leather, with eyelets or 
hooks for a lacing. They are more convenient for reasons of cleanliness, 
but soon lose their efficiency because they crack and weaken if fre- 
quently removed. More durable jackets are made of leather, celluloid 
or muslin-paper-and-glue molded on a cast made from a plaster jacket. 
For the details of manufacture the reader is referred to the text-books 
of orthopedic surgery. 

Lateral curvatures from poliomyelitis sometimes require treatment by 
recumbency to obliterate or diminish the curves, but in most instances 
plaster corrective jackets are required for the severe types of curvature, 
and the subsequent use of stiff leather or celluloid corsets is often neces- 
sary for a long time to keep the curvature from increasing. 



93 



Apparatus to strengthen Weak Muscles. 

Poliomyelitis may weaken certain muscles without paralyzing them; 
it is desirable to lessen the disability by developing their strength again, 
and, as far as possible, to secure a return of normal motions of the limb. 
This can usually be accomplished by systematic exercises carried out 
regularly once or twice a day. 

Again, certain muscles may be weakened, not by the disease itself, 
but by disuse entailed by it, although not in themselves involved in the 
paralytic attack. For these also it is desirable to use a simple means of 
exercise. 

Exercises can be made to vary almost indefinitely ; but simple exercises, 
with manual resistance, or with the weight and pulley, have proved of 
great value. They can be arranged to suit the action and development 
of any group of muscles. 

The stationary bicycle has also been an excellent means of exercising 
the feet and legs of weak-limbed children. 

How to place a Long-paralyzed Child on its Feet. 

If a child who has been long paralyzed begins to move the legs and 
ankles, but cannot yet stiffen the knee, a pair of simple caliper splints, 
like Figs. 3 and 4, should be fitted and applied. Then he is dressed, 
placed on a bed-frame which is raised at the head, so that he gets used 
gradually to a more and more inclined position, until one day he can 
lean in his frame almost straight against the wall, with the feet resting 
on the floor. When the child becomes afraid of falling sideways, crutches 
are given him; then he is taught for some days to kick the feet out, 
alternately resting on one or the other foot. When he has acquired 
sufficient confidence and control of these motions, the frame is tipped 
forward, he leans upon his crutches and tries his first steps, still with the 
bed-frame strapped to his back and steadying him. This must be ac- 
complished very slowly if the child has long been bedridden. 

Another device which has proved of great use is the modified baby- 
jumper, shown in the illustration (Fig. 2). Fig. 3 shows the same 
child, who has discarded this apparatus for crutches; and Fig. 4 shows 
him walking without crutches. 

Operative Measures. 
In the later stages of infantile paralysis surgical measures may be 
necessary; first, to overcome contractions which have developed; second, 
to improve the functional usefulness of the paralyzed limb after mechani- 
cal apparatus and prosthetic appliances have failed to accomplish all 



94 

that can be desired. In many instances contractions can be better over- 
come by means of operative intervention than by apparatus, and the 
appliances needed for locomotion will not be needed after successful 
arthrodesis, or muscle transference. 

It is not within the scope of this paper to give the details of the 
surgical procedures which may be of use; but it is desirable that every 
practitioner should be informed of such measures as are frequently 
employed in alleviating the disability resulting from anterior poliomy- 
elitis. 

Operative Measures to correct Deformity. 
1. To overcome Contractions. — In overcoming contractions, the con- 
tracted soft parts need to be divided, either by an open incision, in the 
more resistant cases, or by tenotomy. Open incision is usually the better 
procedure in contractions of the hip and in the more resistant, old 
deformities at the knee, but in distortions of the foot, knee and hip in 
young children, tenotomy followed by forcible correction will be suffi- 
cient. The contracted limb, after operative correction, can be placed 
for a short time in a plaster bandage, to be followed by a suitable 
apparatus. 



Fig. 8. — Heel extension to be used to check calcaneus 
deformity. 

Osteotomy. — Division of the bone is rarely necessary in the deform- 
ities following infantile paralysis. In the extreme cases, however, a 
linear osteotomy of the lower end of the femur is sometimes needed; 
in older patients, a wedge-shaped excision of the bone may, in addition 
to tenotomies and open incisions, be necessary to correct the more ex- 
treme deformities of the knee and foot. 

2. Operative Measures to aid Functional Activity. — Poliomyelitis in- 
jures the usefulness of the limb either by impairing the strength of 
some of the muscles, completely paralyzing others, or by a total de- 
struction of the functional power of all the muscles of the limb. The 
needed operative measures are of two kinds : — 

(1) Those designed to stiffen flail or loose joints so that the joint 
may be made capable of bearing weight; or 



95 

(2) Measures which will give voluntary motion in the directions 
where power has been lost by paralysis. 

(1) Joint Stiffening. — If weight is thrown upon a paralyzed lower 
extremity the knee bends forward and the patient falls. It is evident 
that if the knee-joint is stiffened in such a way that it cannot bend., 
the bones will be capable of sustaining the superimposed weight. This 
can be made possible at the hip, ankle and mid-tarsal joints. The opera- 
tion of joint stiffening or arthrodesis is, therefore, one which has received 
much attention from surgeons. The cartilaginous surfaces of the two 
adjacent bones are removed in the expectation that the bared bone sur- 
faces will unite, forming an ankylosis, and a stiff joint result. Practical 
experience has shown that this method is not applicable to young chil- 
dren, and should not be undertaken in children under ten, particularly 
arthrodesis of the knee and foot. 

In young children the ends of the bones are largely cartilaginous, 
and the amount which it is necessary to remove to obtain an ankylosis 
is considerable, and mutilation necessarily results, sometimes to an un- 
desirable degree. 

In addition to this, in children, when a growth of the limb takes 
place, the limb may grow in a direction of distortion, and the ultimate 
condition may be worse than if no operation had been attempted, the 
patient wearing a suitable correcting apparatus. 

The operation of arthrodesis is one which can be applied to the 
shoulder- joint and to the hip- joint. In the shoulder- joint the arm should 
be after operation, during the period of healing, placed in a position 
somewhat abducted from the body. Arthrodesis of the hip-joint is less 
frequently needed, but has been found beneficial in some instances. 
Arthrodesis at the knee-joint leaves the patient with an awkward limb, 
which for practical purposes is not as serviceable as one supplied with 
a suitable prosthetic appliance. In certain instances, however, where 
it is difficult to furnish a proper apparatus, patients often prefer the 
inconvenience of a stiff knee to the constant use of an appliance. 

In deformities of the foot, where no muscular strength remains and 
the patients are not young, an arthrodesis between the astragalus and 
tibia, the os calcis and astragalus, and the midtarsal articulations (the 
astragalo-scaphoid and calcaneocuboid) is often of benefit. 

Successful attempts have been made to substitute for the complete 
stiffening of the joints by erasion of the cartilaginous surfaces a stiffen- 
ing of the joints by periosteal flaps. This has been performed chiefly at 
the ankle-joint, where a periosteal flap from the lower end of the tibia 
has been freed and attached to the astragalus and scaphoid. This in- 
volves less mutilation than cartilage erasion, and is more suitable for 
young children. 



96 



Silk Ligaments. 

Partial stiffening of the joint by means of the insertion of silk strands, 
properly sterilized, quilted in the periosteum of the bones adjacent to 
the affected joint, has been successfully performed preventing toe-drop 
and checking the slighter forms of valgus and varus in children and 
adolescents. The method is one which requires technical skill and ex- 
perience. 

It has been found that these silk ligaments, properly inserted, remain 
in the tissues and become in time surrounded by fibrous tissue, which 
serve the purpose of checks, capable of permanently preventing the de- 
velopment of severe deformity. 

Whitmans Operation. 
In cases of calcaneus deformity, that is, the paralytic deformity where 
the weight is borne on the end of the os calcis, the front of the foot 
not being able to strike the ground, owing to the weakness of the 
gastrocnemius muscles, a serviceable operation has been devised by 
Whitman, consisting of the ablation of the astragalus and the slipping 
of the foot backward, so that the weight is borne upon the middle of 
the foot instead of its posterior third. A useful foot results, the ulti- 
mate functional result being excellent. 

Fixation by Shin Scar Contraction. 
This method has been employed by Jones of Liverpool in flail elbow, 
and is one of ready accomplishment. A flap of the skin is dissected 
at the bend of the elbow and sutured into the lower portion of the upper 
arm. On healing, the arm will be held bent, and will become more 
useful than a loose elbow. 

Muscle and Tendon Transference. 
Where certain groups of muscles are paralyzed and the opponents 
remain strong, a transference of one or more of the strong muscles to 
perform the function of the weak muscles has been proved to be of 
benefit. Tendon grafting, that is, the insertion of the tendon of a strong 
muscle into the tendon of a weak muscle, although temporarily a help, 
has not, as a rule, been found to be as permanently beneficial as the 
transference of muscle or tendon with the periosteal insertion of the 
transferred tendon on a point of bone where a strong attachment can 
be secured to the periosteum. This gives a proper point for the con- 
traction of the transferred muscle to perform the function lost by the 



97 

paralytic attack. Where the transferred muscle or tendon is not suffi- 
ciently long to furnish a periosteal insertion, the tendon can be elongated 
by means of silk strands properly prepared. This measure is especially 
suitable in paralytic affections of the foot, of the knee and of the 
shoulder- joint ; it has also been used for paralyzed muscles about the 
hip. It is manifest that, in the successful performance of this operation, 
strictly aseptic precautions are necessary. The silk strands should be 
not only thoroughly sterilized, but it has been found advisable, as 
pointed out by Lange, who introduced the method, that the silk strands 
should be boiled in a solution of 1-1000 of corrosive sublimate, sub- 
sequently boiled in a solution, of paraffin, in order to prevent the irritat- 
ing effect of the silk. These silk strands are quilted into the tendon of 
the muscle to be transferred. The tendon is then divided, and, with the 
silk strands attached, is passed by means of long forceps through the sub- 
cutaneous tissue and brought out through an incision at the point needed 
for periosteal insertion. The silk strands are then inserted by means 
of proper needles into the periosteum or bone tissue, the foot being 
placed in an over-corrected position. In some instances it may be well 
to supplement tendon transference with silk ligaments inserted, as 
already mentioned, after the operation. The limb should be held in a 
corrected or over-corrected position by means of plaster bandages, which 
are to be worn for several weeks, and followed by a suitable retention 
appliance, which is to be worn for several months. 

In quadriceps paralysis of the knee-joint, the ham-strings can be trans- 
ferred forward and inserted into the patella and into the ligamentum 
patella?. In deltoid paralysis, strands of the trapezius have been trans- 
ferred in such a way. In paralysis of the glutei muscles, the vastus or 
the rectus femoris have been utilized for transference, and also strands 
of the erector spinse. In paralysis of the tibial muscles, the peronei 
have been transferred, and vice versa. In paralysis of the extensor 
communis of the foot, the flexors have been used, or portions of the 
tendo Achilles. 

It is manifest that before this operation is performed all deformities 
should be corrected. The operation is one which should not be under- 
taken until it is certain that no spontaneous recovery, or partial recovery 
by use, is to be expected from any of the ordinary therapeutic measures 
devoted to the development of weakened muscles in this affection, but 
it is one devoid of danger and with a good promise of benefit in suitable 
cases. 

The procedure of muscle and tendon transference requires strict 
attention to important details, for which the reader must be referred to 
a more complete description than is possible in this short article (Lange). 



98 



Prognosis in Cases under Treatment. 

In an affection where recovery, sometimes rapid recovery, not infre- 
quently takes place without treatment, and where spontaneous improve- 
ment is the rule in the months following the onset of the disease, it is 
difficult to determine the exact value of remedial measures. The argu- 
ments for measures stimulating the tissues affected are theoretical rather 
than demonstrable, yet they are based upon such sound reasoning that 
they should not be neglected but thoroughly applied. 

The benefit to be obtained in the latest stages from the correction of 
deformity, in the use of proper appliances aiding in locomotion, in 
muscle transferrence and suitable operations, making the joints and 
limbs more serviceable for activity, is without question, and by no means 
inconsiderable in a large number of cases. 

To give to the bed or chair ridden child, even by the employment of 
surgical skill, an active and useful life is a high achievement. It is one 
which is possible, in almost all instances, where the physician is able to 
enforce the thorough employment of the appropriate measures. 

In infantile paralysis, marked improvement is the rule after the 
initial attack, and there is never a second attack. 

The disease is a formidable one, but much can be done by the art of 
medicine to check or relieve its ravages. 

Xote. — The reader is referred for fuller particulars to the following 
important papers : — 

Report of the Collective Investigation Committee on the New York Epi- 
demic of 1907. Nervous and Mental Disease Monograph No. 6. 

Annual Report of the Massachusetts State Board of Health for 1908. 

Flexner and Lewis: Journal American Medical Association, Nov. 15, 1909; 
Dec. 4 and Dec. 18, 1909; Jan. 1 and Feb. 12, 1910. 

Congres Francais de Chirurgie, 1907, p. 380. 

Hoffa Archiv. fur klin. Chir., lxxxi., 1. 

Lange: Joachimsthal's Handbuch der Orth. Chir., Berlin, 1904. 

Robert Jones: British Medical Journal, March 28, 1908. 

Journal American Medical Association, Nov. 14, 1908. 

American Journal Orthopedic Surgery, 1908, vi., pp. 184, 202, 319. 

Boston Medical and Surgical Journal, Nov. 7, 1907; Nov. 14, 1907; June 
4, 1908. 



99 



THE DIAGNOSIS OF INFANTILE PARALYSIS IN THE PROD- 
ROMAL AND EARLY ACUTE STAGE, AS FOUND IN THE 
EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF ACUTE POLIOMYELITIS IN 
MONKEYS. WITH REPORT OF FINDINGS IN FOUR HU- 
MAN CASES. 1 

By William Palmer Lucas, M.D., of Boston. 



The past year has brought out so many interesting facts about the 
infectious nature of acute anterior poliomyelitis, its transmissibility, its 
epidemiology, and, recently, some valuable facts in experimental im- 
munity, that now great efforts are being made to discover some means of 
protection. In view of such a discovery, and having failed thus far to- 
find the specific etiological cause, it seems of some import to find some 
means of making a fairly accurate diagnosis early in the disease, as 
there is little or no hope of being able to check the process after paralysis, 
has appeared. The invasion of the white matter of the cord is undoubt- 
edly an end result of the acute process, so that when the paralysis is first 
observed the virus has already about spent itself. This being so, there 
must be some indication in almost every case that the virus is at work 
some time before the paralysis appears. 

The New York investigation of the prodromal symptoms agrees com- 
pletely with the early symptoms found in animal experimentation. The 
most noteworthy signs are those of change of disposition. At times slight, 
but fairly constant and characteristic, is the restlessness and irritability 
that often appears several days before any other symptoms. Or the other 
extreme of apathy may be moderately marked for a number of days be- 
fore one is aware that the paralysis is present. In these cases the occur- 
rence of paralysis is much harder to determine, or, at least, we are not 
so apt to notice it as early as in the irritative cases. The paralysis may 
even be ushered in with delirium and convulsions, or epileptiform 
attacks, which may last for several days before the paralysis is noted. In 
the exceedingly irritative cases the diagnosis of epidemic meningitis is 
most often made. And, indeed, it is really a distinct type of acute menin- 
gitic anterior poliomyelitis. Experimentally it is hard to be sure of 
pain, but pain in the prodromal stage is by no means an uncommon 
finding, most often in the back along the spine, or in the joints of the 
extremities, which may show swelling and tenderness. Headache, gen- 
eral or frontal, is not infrequently met with in children old enough to 
locate the pain, and this is often accompanied with rigidity of the neck. 
If with any of these nervous manifestations there should be any trouble 

i Work done under a grant from the Proctor fund in the departments of Surgical Research and 
Serum Diagnosis, Harvard Medical School. Read before the Massachusetts Medical Society, 
June 8, 1910. 



100 

in the upper air passages, as coryza, bronchitis or sore throat, suspicion 
should at once be aroused. In all of our animals and in each of our 
four human cases there was some affection of the upper air passages 
along with one or more of the above nervous manifestations. Tempera- 
ture, though present in nearly every case, is not typical, and is of little 
use as a guide. It is usually of short duration, two or three days, though 
a low temperature of about 100° may continue for a week or more, as 
may be seen in our four cases, in three of which it persisted for over 
three weeks. The bowels show no particular change in the majority of 
cases, though either constipation or a moderate diarrhoea may exist. 

These clinical manifestations, in conjunction with certain definite 
laboratory findings which I have been able to show in an experimental 
study and in a few human cases that I had the good fortune to see about 
the same time, make the diagnosis somewhat more certain, though of 
course not as exact as some specific reaction, by which we had hoped to 
be able to make a positive diagnosis but in which so far we have failed. 
Yet this combined information should be of great assistance toward 
making a more accurate and early diagnosis in this condition. 

Points of Diagnosis from Spinal Fluid and Blood in the Prod- 
romal and Acute State of Anterior Poliomyelitis, from Ex- 
perimental and Human Study. 

The original material for experimental work was obtained through the 
kindness of Dr. Flexner, who furnished us with two different strains of 
virus. We were able to produce paralysis in three monkeys from this 
original virus, and were able to transfer paralysis through two subse- 
quent series of inoculations. The work of diagnosis may be divided into 
two parts as we carried them out. First, the ordinary laboratory methods 
of blood and spinal fluid examination, and second, the more compli- 
cated biological tests of these same fluids. All these tests were made be- 
fore the inoculation in a large enough number to give us a fair idea of 
what normal findings were. These same tests were carried on during the 
period of incubation, through the prodromal stage and through the 
acute stage, until the fluids examined returned apparently to their 
normal findings. The temperature findings were not constant, except 
that in the first irritative stage there was a fairly uniform rise, with a 
drop to normal, often subnormal, during the acute stage, with at times 
a further rise toward the end of the acute stage or beginning of con- 
valescence. 

The study of the blood brought out at least two very interesting facts, 
and when taken in conjunction with certain findings in the spinal fluid 
will certainly make a strong diagnostic point early in the disease. The 
normal differential count ran about, polynuclears, 60 per cent; large and 



101 

small mononuclears, 25 per cent; lymphocytes, 12 per cent; eosinophils, 
3 per cent. In the acute stage there was a moderate to a constant 
lymphocytosis, the count being polynuclears, 40 per cent.; large mono- 
nuclears, 15 per cent; lymphocytes, 40 per cent; eosinophils, 5 per 
cent. Parallel with this lymphocytosis there was a marked and constant 
leukopenia. This drop in the white count lasted fairly consistently 
with the acute stage, disappearing about the time that the hyperesthesia 
or other manifestations of the acute stage disappeared. The average 
normal count of our monkeys was in the neighborhood of 20,000 per 
cubic millimeter. This count did not change during the incubation 
period, but did change occasionally during the irritative or prodromal 
stage, when there was a marked or moderate drop in the white count. 
During the acute stage there was always a marked drop, the lowest count 
being 8,000, on the second day after paralysis was first noted. 

Spinal Fluid. 
The spinal fluid shows even more marked and very characteristic con- 
stant findings during the incubation period, prodromal and acute stage, 
disappearing about the time that the acute symptoms begin to subside, 
being at its height either in the prodromal stage or on the first or second 
day of the acute stage. Before inoculation it is often impossible to get 
even one drop of spinal fluid from a lumbar puncture; most of our at- 
tempts gave nothing more than dry taps. However, when successful, 
there were only one or two cells to be seen in an ordinary Thoma-Zeiss 
counting chamber, and on staining, these were apparently large mono- 
nuclears or plasma cells. During the incubation period there is a marked 
increase in the amount of fluid that may be obtained from lumbar punc- 
ture, and the cells in the fluid are very markedly and characteristically 
increased, anywhere from 100 to 300 cells per cubic millimeter. These 
cells are mainly of the large mononuclear type, with some polynuclear 
cells and lymphocytes. In the prodromal stage there is even a more 
marked increase in the cells, often reaching 1,000 per cubic millimeter. 
In this stage, also, polynuclears are still present, in some cases as high 
as 60 per cent, though the large mononuclears and lymphocytes were 
very evident. In the early acute stage the increase in cells is very 
marked. The cells are now, however, mostly of the lymphocytic or very 
early form of cells, and sometimes very hard to place, as they are appar- 
ently undifferentiated cells. As the cells decrease in number the poly- 
nuclears begin to return, and at the end of a week or ten days there are 
very few cells present, mostly large mononuclears with a few polynu- 
clears. In the prodromal and acute stage there was at times a fibrin 
clot. This clot would disappear fairly early during the acute stage. 
Fluid in our monkeys was never under any great pressure, though the 



102 

amount was sometimes increased so that 5 cubic centimeters was easily 
withdrawn. This occurred fairly regularly in the meningeal type of the 
infection. 

A comparison of these experimental findings with the findings in four 
cases of acute poliomyelitis in children is of considerable value. These 
four cases were seen first between the second and fifth day of the acute 
onset. When seen all of them were running a slight temperature and 
were still in the hyper-sensitive state, with paralysis just commencing, 
so that the first findings in these cases are comparable with our findings 
in the early acute stage of our experimental studies. It will be seen 
from the chart that the blood findings show from a moderate to a quite 
marked drop in the white blood count, with a lymphocytosis moderately 
marked in all but one of the cases, which was the one examined at the 
latest day. The spinal fluid findings are very interesting in all these 
cases from the fact that in two of them definite fibrin formation was 
present early, which disappeared rapidly in one and very slowly in the 
other. The increase in cells was marked in all at the first puncture, and 
in three of the cases increased slightly later on in the course of the acute 
stage. The increase of cells was still present in two cases as late as the 
twentieth day of the acute onset. The type of cells found was prac- 
tically parallel with the findings of the experimental spinal fluids, the 
lymphocytes and small mononuclears predominating on the first exam- 
inations, later being replaced by large mononuclears, and in the last find- 
ings polynuclears were beginning to reappear. 

Table 1. — Noteworthy Prodromal Symptoms. 

1. Irritability. 

2. Restlessness. 

3. Pain in spine or extremities. 

4. Apathy. 

Table 2. — Important Symptoms during Acute Stage. 

1. Fever, 100° to 106°. Duration of fever two to seven days. 

2. Vomiting (25 per cent, in New York series). 

3. Restlessness. 

4. Apathy. 

5. Rigidity of neck. 

6. Headache (frontal). 

7. Delirium. 

8. Stupor. 

9. Convulsions. 

10. Photophobia. 

11. Dysphagia. 

12. Sluggish pupils. 



L08 

18. General pais (early in 68 pes eent.). 

14. m| deep r<!l< 

15. Cold extremil omotor chai i 

Tabli 8. — Typee of Acute Poliomyelitis (Wicktnan). 

1. Spinal poliomyelitis form. 

Sudden onset, followed by r ,aral y H ' H - 

2. The attending form (Landry'i paralyiie). 

[nvolvemenf of respiratory cent 
Mo-t fVital cases belong to this type. 

3. The bulbar or pontine form. 

NY: often involved: fViul, OCUlar, hypoglossal. 

M;iv '•••it alone or with paralysis of extremil 

4. Bneephalitic or cerebral form. 

Hay f.-i-t alone or with ipinaJ involvement. 

5. The ataxic form. 

Much tike Friedreich'! ataxia. 
;. Polyneuritic form. 
7. Meningitic form. 
S. Abortive form. 

1. General infection. 

2. Bymptome of meningeal irritation. 
:;. Caaee of much pain tike influenza. 

4. C'lHCH with marked digestive di-.f urbanCC - 

Tabli 4. Intracranial Injections, producing Acute Poliomyelitis in 

Monkeys, 



M'.;ik<- f 



il DMld. 



i , v. J'ro'lroifial . ., 

trc — 



'! •/{,<•, (II 



9, 

i-', 
j.v 



^;, i cable 

'i-ntir. 
K n. alfl D ' or<l 

fmonkev), I2cti 
Me ceotuoetei ; -. 

B m ii i ;> i o a cord 

2 cable eeotL 
meter* 

HrO! M. A. (F. 

L.), <; cable 
eeoUn 

Emalfloo No. ^t:;, 
0T. L.), 2 cable 
ceotln i 

E "' M I I 1 I 

fmookey) Wo- '», 
1 cable eeotl 

m«t< 





^ daye, 




J 2 <l:>y-, 


1 


7 '! I v • , 



■ h ; 2 
riayw irell. 



I fJay, . 

I f|;i /, . 



L2thdar, 

4th <l,,v, 

7i.ii day, 
i.vh day, 

fftfci '!■ 1 .7, 

iota day, 



17th day; 
<,li loro 
formed. 



1 2th day, 

lOtii day, 
Mb day, • 

I'.t.i, day, 



Marked prodromata , 
•ploal pollomyelltlc 

for hi. 
li ii I Dfl r, p o D t I n'f. 

t, yfi«:; respiratory 

p/iralyHlH. 

Spioal pollom relltlc 

form. 



Bploal pollen 

form. 



Sploal pollen 

form. 



MeolOgltle form. 



. SYe 'ij.yK. 



104 



Table 5. — Spinal Fluid in Acute Poliomyelitis (Monkeys). 



Monkey 
No. 



Normal. 



During Incubation. 



Prodromal. 



Acute Stage. 



12, 



15, 



Two cells seen, 
1 large mono- 
nuclear, 1 
small plasma 
cell. 



Dry tap, . 



No cells seen, . 



One (?) plasma 
cell. 



Dry tap, . 



A few large 
cells and 1 (?) 
plasma cell. 



6th day, 100 cells per 
cubic millimeter; 
large mononu- 
clears, 40 percent.; 
small (lymphocy- 
tes), 60 percent. 



6th day. 300 cells per 
cubic millimeter; 
large mononu- 
clears, 60 per cent. 



14th day, 400 cells per 
cubic millimeter; 
mostly lymphocvtes; 
16th day, 60 cells" per 
cubic millimeter; lvm- 
phocytes; a few pblv- 
nuclears. 

4th day, 800 cells per cubic 
millimeter; 5th day, 
1,000 cells per cubic mil- 
limeter; lymphocytes 
and polynuclea'rs; 
young ceils undifferen- 
tiated. 

Tth day, 12 cells per cubic 
millimeter; lvmphocv- 
tes ; 8th day, 9<J cells per 
cubic millimeter; lym- 
phocytes; 12th day, 20 
cells per cubic milli- 
meter; large mononu- 
clears: a few polynu- 
clears. 



14th day, 120 cells per 16th day, 200 cells per 

cubic millimeter; cubic millimeter; all 

lymphocytes, 40 lymphocytes or small 

per cent.; large mononuclears (young 

mononuclears, 60 cells), 
per cent. 



10th day, 240 cells per 
cubic millimeter; 
large and small 
mononuclears, 60 
per cent.; lympho- 
cytes, 40 per cent. 



1 day, 1,000 cells per 
cubic millimeter ; 
polynuclears, 60 
percent.; mononu- 
clears, 40 per cent. 



th day, 160 cells per 
cubic millimeter; 
excess of large 
mononuclears. 



9th day, 150 cells per 
cubic millimeter; 
large mononu- 
clears, 30 per cent.; 
lymphocytes, 60 per 
cent.; polynuclears 
10 per cent. 



Tth day, SO cells per cubic 
millimeter; lymphocy- 



10th day, 180 cells per 
cubic millimeter; lym- 
phocytes ; 30th day, few 
polynuclears found. 



Table 6. — Blood (TV. B. C.) in Acute Poliomyelitis (Monkeys). 



Monkey 
No. 



Normal. 



During Incubation. 



Prodromal. 



Acute Stage. 



W. B. C, 20,000, 



2, 


21,000, 


<» • 


40,000, 


9, 


21,000, 


12, 


23,000, 


15, 


20,000, 



Average W. B. C, 
23,000. 



2d dav, W. B. C, 
21,400. 

2d dav, W. B. C, 
16,000. 



Average VT. B. C, 
19,000. 

2d day, W. B. C, 
23,200. 



2d dav, 45,000; Tth 
dav: 39,000. 



11th day, 21,000, 



3d dav, 22,400, 



th day, W. B. 
19,800. 



14th day, W. B. 
13,000. 



4th dav, 23,000; 5th 
day.'lS.OOO. 

9th day, 19,000, 



i fl2th dav, 19,000 (1st dav). 
J 14th day, 12,000 (3d dav). 
;1 15th dav, 11,800 (4th dav). 
t 1 16th day, 16,000 (5th day). 

( 4th dav, 14,000 (1st dav). 
; ) 5th day, 19,000 (2d day). 

Tth dav, 13,000 (1st dav). 
8th day, 8.UO0 (2d dav). 
j 1 12th day, 13,000 (6th day). 

! f 15th dav, 14,000. 
J 16th day, 9,000. 
1 20th dav, 12,000. 
1 24th dav, 19,400. 

6th dav, 18,000 (1st dav). 
Tth day, 12,200 (2d day). 

10th dav, 9,400 (1st dav). 
12th day, 11,800 (2d day). 



105 



Table 7. 
Case L — R. R. 



Day. 


Temperature 
(Degrees). 


Blood. 


Spinaf Fluid. 


5th, . 

8th, . 

13th, . 


100.0 
100.0 
99.0 


W. B.C., 17,400; differ- 
entiated lymphocy- 
tosis. 

W. B.C., 12,000; lymph, 
ocytosis. 

W. B. C, 11,600. 


10 eubic centimeters ; 180 cubic millimeters , 
no clot; lymphocytosis, 98 per cent. 

20 cubic centimeters : 50 cubic millimeters . 
no clot; mononuclears, degenerated 
forms. 

10 cubic centimeters; 80 cubic millimeters; 
no clot; large mononuclears and degen- 
erated forms. 



Case 2. 



2d, . 

5th, . 

Tth, . 

9th, . 
12th, 



100.0 

98.5 

100.0 

99.5 
100.0 



W. B. C, 10,000; lymph- 
ocytosis, 62 per cent. 



W. B.C., 7,800: lymph- 
ocytosis. 

W. B. C, 12,200. 

W. B.C., 11,800. 



5 cubic centimeters clear; clot in 24; 350 
cells per cubic millimeter; degenerated 
mononuclears. 

Blood fluid with clot. 20 cubic centime- 
ters; very few leucocytes. 

35 cubic centimeters bloody fluid; clot; 
few degenerated mononuclears. 



30 cubic centimeters; 1st lot clear; slight 
clot; 80 cells to cubic milliimeter; mono- 
nuclears; 3d lot opaque; clot; 580 cells 
to cubic millimeter; mononuclears and 
lymphocytes. 







CaseS. 




4th, 


101.0 


12,000; normal dif. 


50 cubic centimeters clear; no clot: high 
pressure; 60 cells per cubic millimeter. 


~ 


100.0 


■ 


25 cubic centimeters clear; 510 cells per 
cubic millimeter; mononuclears and 
lymphocytes. 


~ 


- 


- 


10 cubic centimeters clear; 240 cells per 
cubic millimeter. 



Case 4> 



4th, 



5th, 
9th, 




13,400 ; differentiated 
polynuclears, 75.5; 
mononuclears, 24.5. 



20 cubic centimeters clear; fibrin clot; 50 
cells per cubic millimeter; degenerated 
small and large mononuclears. 

30 cubic centimeters clear; fluid; 130 cells 

{>er cubic millimeter; mononuclears and 
ymphocytes. 



LB N 



INFANTILE PARALYSIS 

IN MASSACHUSETTS IN 1909. 



I. The Occurrence of Infantile Paralysis in Massachusetts in 1 909. 

Reported for the Massachusetts State Board of Health by Robert W. Lovett, M.D. 

II. Infantile Paralysis as Observed in Health District No. 15 during 1909. 

By Lyman A. Jones, M.D. 

III. Methods of Treatment in Infantile Paralysis. 

By E. H. Bradford, M.D., Robert W. Lovett, M.D.. E. G. Brackett, M.D., Augustus 
Thorndike, M.D., Robert Soutter, M.D., Robert B. Osgood, M.D. 

IV. The Diagnosis of Infantile Paralysis in the Prodromal and Early Acute 

Stage, as Found in the Experimental Study of Acute Poliomyelitis 
in Monkeys. With Report of Findings in Four Human Cases. 

By William P. Lucas, M.D. 



Reprinted from the 

Monthly Bulletin of the Massachusetts State Board of Health 

for June, 1910. 




BOSTON: 

WRIGHT & POTTER PRINTING CO., STATE PRINTERS, 

18 Post Office Square. 



^. 



